The Impact of a School Food Aid Program on Household Food Insecurity

Overview

Journal Eur J Public Health

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Public Health

Date 2016 Feb 14

PMID 26873860

Citations 10

Authors

Athanassios Petralias

Eleni Papadimitriou

Elena Riza

Margaret R Karagas

Alexia B A Zagouras

Athena Linos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: We had a unique opportunity to establish the extent of food insecurity and the potential impact of a large-scale school-based nutritional program, in low-socioeconomic status districts of Greece, during the current economic crisis.

Methods: Around 162 schools with 25 349 students participated during the 2012-2013 school year. Each student received a daily healthy meal designed by nutrition specialists. Food insecurity levels, measured using the Food Security Survey Module were assessed at baseline and after a 1-8-month intervention period. Pre-post intervention responses were matched at an individual level.

Results: Around 64.2% of children's households experienced food insecurity at baseline. This percentage decreased to 59.1% post-intervention,P< 0.001. On an individual level, food insecurity score diminished by 6.5%,P< 0.001. After adjustment for various socioeconomic factors, for each additional month of participation, the odds of reducing the food insecurity score increased by 6.3% (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.11). Those experiencing food insecurity with hunger at baseline were more likely to improve food insecurity score than those who did not (OR = 3.51, 95%CI: 2.92-4.21).

Conclusion: Children and families residing in low socioeconomic areas of Greece, experience high levels of food insecurity. Our findings suggest that participation in a school-based food aid program may reduce food insecurity for children and their families in a developed country in times of economic hardship.

Citing Articles

Impact of a school-based food assistance program on household food insecurity in Greece, 2012-2019: a multi-year evaluation of the DIATROFI program.

Diamantis D, Linos A, Hu F, Veloudaki A, Petralias A, Leung C Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2024; 44:101004.

PMID: 39139195 PMC: 11321317. DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101004.

Food Insecurity in Greece and across the Globe: A Narrative Literature Review.

Fotakis E, Kontele I, Tzoutzou M, Grammatikopoulou M, Arvanitaki E, Sergentanis T Foods. 2024; 13(10).

PMID: 38790879 PMC: 11121129. DOI: 10.3390/foods13101579.

Perspective: Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Dietitians.

Carrillo-Alvarez E Adv Nutr. 2023; 14(5):995-1004.

PMID: 37543145 PMC: 10509433. DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.07.008.

Does a school snack make a difference? An evaluation of the World Food Programme emergency school feeding programme in Lebanon among Lebanese and Syrian refugee children.

Jamaluddine Z, Akik C, Safadi G, Abou Fakher S, El-Helou N, Moussa S Public Health Nutr. 2022; 25(6):1678-1690.

PMID: 35152929 PMC: 9991733. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980022000362.

The Measurement of Food Insecurity in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review.

Carrillo-Alvarez E, Salinas-Roca B, Costa-Tutusaus L, Mila-Villarroel R, Shankar Krishnan N Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(18).

PMID: 34574753 PMC: 8468034. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189829.

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