Implementing School Lunch Programs to Combat Teenage Obesity and Address Socioeconomic Disparities

A recent study conducted by Professor Sayaka Nakamura of Sophia University in Japan and Professor Shiko Maruyama of Jinan University in China highlights the significant benefits of school lunch programs in reducing obesity among early adolescents. Published in the journal Health Economics, the research demonstrates that comprehensive school lunch initiatives can effectively lower body mass index (BMI), the percentage of overweight students, and overall obesity rates, especially benefiting children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Childhood obesity is recognized globally as a pressing public health issue. In response, various countries have adopted school nutrition reforms aimed at improving dietary habits among young populations. Japan's model, which mandates universal participation in school lunch programs for all students attending participating schools, offers a unique perspective compared to other nations like the UK and the US, where access is often based on eligibility criteria.

The study employed a sophisticated difference-in-differences analysis utilizing data from Japan’s National Nutrition Survey spanning from 1975 to 1994. This approach compared weight-related outcomes among students in municipalities with and without universal school lunch programs. Additional statistical techniques, such as propensity score weighting and falsification tests, were used to ensure the validity of the findings.

Key findings reveal that the implementation of school lunches leads to noticeable reductions in BMI, overweight percentage, and obesity prevalence. Notably, the positive effects are more pronounced among students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, including those with non-white-collar fathers and households with lower expenditures, indicating that such programs can help reduce health disparities.

Interestingly, the study did not find significant evidence that school lunches influence underweight prevalence among students. Furthermore, economic analysis suggests that the costs of conducting school lunch programs are justified by their benefits in preventing obesity.

While the impact on weight tends to diminish after students leave junior high school, the research underscores the short-term advantages of universal school lunch programs in tackling child obesity, particularly within vulnerable groups. These results carry important implications for policymakers aiming to improve child health and reduce inequality through effective nutritional interventions.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-school-lunch-obesity-teenagers-socioeconomic.html