School Breakfast Programs: Perceptions and Barriers
Elaine McDonnell, MS, RD, LDN; Claudia Probart, PhD, RD; J. Elaine Weirich,
MEd; Terryl Hartman, MPH, PhD, RD; and Patricia Birkenshaw, MA
ABSTRACT
Purpose/Objectives
The purpose of this research was to identify perceptions
and barriers related to the initiation and promotion of the School Breakfast
Program (SBP).
Methods
This research used a series of nine focus groups with school
administrators, school foodservice directors, parents, and students.
Results
Disparities were found in perceptions among the groups. Although
school administrators expressed concerns about costs and staffing, school
foodservice directors did not identify these issues as major barriers.
Scheduling and timing issues related to conflicting events and bus schedules
were raised by several groups. The concern that offering a school breakfast
program oversteps the bounds of school responsibility and could interfere
with parental roles was identified as a barrier by all groups, as was
the perception that the SBP is primarily intended for low-income students.
Despite the fact that meals offered through the SBP must meet federal
nutrition standards, support for the program waned among parents and
school administrators if they perceived that only foods of low nutritional
value were being served. Students expressed interest in a wide variety
of foods, with a corresponding range of nutritional values. Although
school administrators and school foodservice directors recognized parents
as strong forces for change within schools, parents did not identify
a role for themselves in the initiation of a school breakfast service.
Several foodservice directors felt that their opinions concerning school
meals programs were not highly valued in their districts.
Applications
The results of this research suggest that school foodservice
directors may improve the likelihood of success in initiating school
breakfast if they identify a key individual who will support the program
and act as its advocate, begin the program as a pilot, survey students
about food preferences, serve healthy food options, market the program
to all audiences, and identify other school foodservice directors with
successful programs who might have suggestions for overcoming barriers.
INTRODUCTION
Importance of Breakfast
Eating breakfast has been shown to have positive effects on diet, health,
and
cognition (Nicklas, Reger, Myers, & O'Neil, 2000 ; Pollitt & Mathews,
1998; Resnicow, 1991). While children who eat breakfast have better overall
diet quality, as assessed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Healthy Eating Index (Basiotis, 1999), the rate of school-aged children
skipping breakfast has been shown to range between 5% and 31% (Nicklas,
Bao, Webber, & Berenson, 1993; Nicklas, Farris, Bao, & Berenson,
1995). It has been reported that skipping breakfast or consuming a nutritionally
inadequate breakfast is associated with dietary inadequacies that are
not compensated for through other meals (Hanes, Vermeersch & Gale,
1984; Morgan et al., 1986; Nicklas, Bao, & Berenson, 1993; Skinner,
Salvetti, Ezell, Penfield, & Costello, 1985.) The availability of
breakfast in school increases the likelihood that low-income children
will eat breakfast (Devaney & Stuart, 1998). In addition, low-income
children who participate in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) have been
shown to have better overall diet quality than those who eat breakfast
at home and those who skip breakfast (Basiotis, 1999).
Children’s breakfast consumption also is inversely related to
body weight and total blood cholesterol levels, two risk factors for
cardiovascular and other chronic diseases (Resnicow, 1991). Researchers
have reported that hungry children and those at-risk for hunger suffer
from impaired mental function and increased hyperactivity (Murphy et
al., 1998). Hungry children have been found to be more likely to have
clinical levels of psychosocial dysfunction than those who are not hungry.
Anxiety and aggression, in particular, have been found to be closely
associated with hunger (Kleinman et al., 1998).
One study of children from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds has
shown that those who eat breakfast at school perform better on standardized
tests than those who skip breakfast or eat at home (Basiotis, 1999).
Others have confirmed the positive effects on academic performance, as
well as reduced rates of absenteeism and tardiness associated with participation
in school breakfast (Meyers, Sampson, Weitzman, Rogers, & Kayne,
1989; Murphy et al., 1998).
Participation in School Breakfast
Participation in the SBP has grown slowly but steadily over the years.
In 1970, an average of 500,000 children per day participated; in 1980,
this number rose to 3.6 million. The program continued to grow and
in 1990 it reached 4.1 million children. For the 2002-03 school year,
8.2 million children participated in the SBP (USDA, 2002). Despite
the reported benefits, rates of participation in the SBP are significantly
lower than those of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Compared
to the 8.2 million children participating in school breakfast during
the 2002-03 school year, 27.8 million participated in the NSLP (Food
Research and Action Center, 2003).
Barriers to School Breakfast Programs
Despite the benefits of school breakfast, barriers to implementation,
as identified by state officials who oversee the SBP, have been reported
(Food Research and Action Center, 2002). Officials identified "school
buses arrive too late" as the top barrier, selected by 74% of
respondents. Other strong barriers included student unwillingness or
inability to arrive at school early, opposition from teachers and/or
administrators to providing breakfast in the classroom, insufficient
time provided for students to eat school breakfast, a lack of parent
awareness of the academic and behavioral benefits of school breakfast,
and a stigma associated with participation.
In another report, students in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade participating
in a universal free breakfast pilot study perceived a lack of time and
not being hungry in the morning as barriers to eating breakfast (Reddan,
Wahlstrom, & Reicks, 2002). Although certain obstacles have been
identified with specific groups, it is unclear if these perceptions are
shared by all stakeholders. Understanding shared perceptions of barriers
from all groups involved in school breakfast decision-making, delivery,
and participation could assist in designing successful educational programs
and approaches to promoting school breakfast.
In light of low participation rates in the SBP, despite the reported
benefits of the program, the authors conducted a focus group study to
investigate issues and barriers related to the initiation and promotion
of school breakfast, and to compare the perceptions of these barriers
among a variety of stakeholders.
METHODOLOGY
Nine focus groups were conducted with targeted stakeholders, including
school business officials, school principals, school foodservice directors,
parents, and students to provide insights into their perceptions of barriers
related to the initiation and promotion of SBPs. The focus group series,
following the methodology outlined by Krueger (1988), was conducted in
Pennsylvania with a total of 73 individuals selected from throughout
the state. Each focus group ranged from 6 to 11 participants and each
session lasted approximately 45 to 60 minutes. This study was approved
by the Institutional Review Board of the Pennsylvania State University.
One focus group was conducted with school business officials (n=9),
and two focus groups were conducted with each of the remaining four groups,
which included principals (n=14), school foodservice directors (n=20),
parents (n=13), and students (n=17). These groups were selected to represent
the variety of perspectives that stakeholders have concerning issues
related to school breakfast. They also represented those groups most
influential in decisions regarding participation in school breakfast,
at both the individual and school levels. Recruitment for the focus groups
occurred through invitations using registration lists for conferences,
meetings, and courses. Conference and meeting organizers and course instructors
provided these lists. The focus group invitations did not specifically
identify the topic of discussion in order to prevent sample bias. A nominal
financial incentive was provided for participation.
Each focus group was facilitated by a trained moderator who had at least
one assistant moderator taking notes. Sessions were audiotaped to ensure
the complete collection of information. Following each focus group session,
the moderator and assistant moderator discussed impressions of the focus
group findings. The focus group tapes were transcribed, and summaries
were prepared, distributed, and discussed among the research team. A
series of codes was developed, with each unique concept identified in
the focus groups assigned a different code. Focus group transcripts were
coded by one member of the research team, and then verified by a second
coding conducted by another researcher. Coded transcripts were analyzed
using the qualitative analysis software program, Atlas.ti (Scientific
Software Development, 1997). This program was used to identify the major
concepts conveyed in each focus group.
Due of the variety of audiences participating in the focus groups, four
sets of related questions were developed: one for school personnel (school
foodservice directors, principals, and business officials), one for parents,
one for high school students, and one for middle school students.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The demographic characteristics of the focus group participants can
be found in Table 1. Similarities and differences in perceptions of barriers
to increasing school breakfast participation became clear from the focus
groups. Themes, as discussed in terms of similarities and differences,
included issues related to program costs, scheduling and timing, responsibilities,
social opportunities, stigma associated with participation, foods offered,
and roles for parents.
Table
1: Focus Group Participants' Demographic Information |
School Administrators |
|
Job Title
|
|
Principal |
14
|
Business Manager |
9 |
Gender |
|
Male |
12 |
Female |
11 |
School District Setting |
|
Urban |
1 |
Suburban |
9 |
Rural |
13 |
SBP Presence |
|
Number with SBP in at least one school in district |
21 |
Number with SBP in all schools in district |
10 |
School Foodservice Directors |
|
Gender |
|
Female |
20 (all)
|
School District Setting |
|
Urban |
4 |
Suburban |
7 |
Rural |
8 |
SBP Presence |
|
Number with SBP in at least one school in district |
17 |
Number with SBP in all schools in district |
14 |
Parents |
|
Gender |
|
Female |
13 (all)
|
School District Setting |
|
Urban |
1 |
Suburban |
10 |
Rural |
2 |
Students |
|
Gender |
|
Male |
8
|
Female |
9 |
Number of days/week students buy breakfast in the school cafeteria |
|
0 days/week |
14 |
1 days/week |
1 |
2 days/week |
1 |
3 days/week |
0 |
4 days/week |
0 |
5 days/week |
1 |
Program Costs
School administrators (business officials and principals) expressed concerns
about costs related to the establishment and implementation of a school
breakfast program. While the school foodservice directors did not identify
cost as a barrier, they recognized that administrators perceived that
school breakfast service would involve costs, and that this perception
could be an obstacle in initiating a program. The school foodservice
directors recognized that they might incur expenses related to increased
staff time, but they did not view this as a major barrier and discussed
methods for keeping costs to a minimum. In contrast, administrators
expressed concerns about increasing cafeteria staff members' time,
which would require benefits to be paid and potentially result in significant
costs. Administrators also expressed difficulties in identifying administrative
staff willing to supervise the program, as well as cafeteria staff
willing to work during breakfast hours. School foodservice directors
did not identify these issues as barriers.
Scheduling/Timing
School administrators identified scheduling and timing as critical factors
in initiating and promoting school breakfast. Problems were mentioned
involving coordination of bus schedules to allow students to arrive
at school in time to eat breakfast. It was perceived that the initiation
of a school breakfast program might require cuts in instructional time,
an option deemed unacceptable. Administrators noted that a variety
of school activities often are conducted during pre-class time, further
complicating the morning schedule and presenting another barrier to
school breakfast. The school foodservice directors concurred with the
need for students to have adequate time to eat in order to have a successful
program. They expressed frustration about events being scheduled during
pre-class breakfast time, which they agreed decreased participation
in the program. Students also viewed time as an important issue, indicating
a reluctance to participate in school breakfast if it would require
them to arrive at school earlier than usual; thus, cutting into sleep
time.
Responsibility
Some school administrators felt that offering school breakfast overstepped
the bounds of school responsibility and could interfere with parental
responsibilities. One focus group participant noted:
"Are we overstepping into a family role by doing breakfast? It’s
really stepping outside of the educational timeframe that’s causing
the breakfast program to pass or fail."
Even those administrators who did not share this particular sentiment
recognized that some members of their communities felt this way. While
school foodservice directors agreed that the issue of responsibility
is a barrier to school breakfast, they did not share this sentiment.
Similarly, parents participating in the focus group did not identify
with this philosophical viewpoint, but did recognize it as a potential
barrier to school breakfast programs, especially if people in school
decision-making positions held this opinion. One of the students expressed
an opinion of school breakfast participants that seemed to support the
view that breakfast is a parental responsibility.
"Mostly they [students participating in school breakfast] are
the people who are either short on time, don’t get attention
from their parents, or are too lazy to make breakfast."
Social Opportunities
Participants from each focus group identified the importance of social
aspects of school breakfast. School administrators commented that school
breakfast facilitates positive interactions between students and supervising
teachers. One partcipant commented:
"Teachers assigned to supervise breakfast find themselves becoming
more involved with the kids… to some degree almost acting in a
form of surrogate parents, seeing what the kids’ needs are, trying
to take care of those."
School foodservice directors observed social relationships between students
and cafeteria staff and reported that staff attitudes and interactions
with students can affect participation. They mentioned that positive,
friendly attitudes exhibited by cafeteria staff contribute to high participation.
Parents speculated that breakfast might be a more relaxed social time
for students compared to lunch. Students also stressed the social aspect
of the program, indicating that they would be interested in participating
if the school breakfast period was a relaxed time during which they could
socialize with friends. Clearly, all groups perceive social aspects of
the program as important.
Stigma
In several groups, discussions arose about the stigma associated with
participation in school breakfast. This stigma is associated with the
perception that school breakfast is intended for low-income students.
Although procedures are in place to avoid overtly identifying students
as free or reduced-price participants, as one school business official
explained, the stigma still exists:
"Well, they don’t necessarily know who’s 'free and
reduced.' They know who’s poor and who isn’t poor."
Some administrators expressed the belief that school breakfast is primarily
intended for low-income students. Parents speculated that the stigma
might be a barrier to participation. A few students confirmed this stigma.
When asked if it is "cool" to eat breakfast at school, the
response of a student who is a regular participant indicated that she
might sense negative connotations associated with participation:.
"I don’t really care what people think. I’m going
to eat."
The group of students consisting mainly of non-participants identified
students who participated in breakfast as "tough guys" and
the "detention crew." Foodservice directors did not mention
a stigma associated with school breakfast.
Foods Offered
School administrators and parents expressed concerns that students would
not choose nourishing food options for breakfast. Despite the fact
that meals offered through the SBP are required to meet federal nutrition
standards, support for school breakfast waned among parents and school
administrators if they perceived that only foods of low nutritional
value were being offered. Interestingly, students expressed a desire
for a wide variety of foods, with a range of nutritional values (e.g.,
cereal, toaster pastries, bagels, fresh fruit, French toast, scrambled
eggs, and doughnuts). School foodservice directors validated that while
high-sugar breakfast cereals are popular choices, a variety of foods
are both offered and purchased.
Roles for Parents
Administrators and school foodservice directors identified parents as
highly influential in the decision to offer breakfast at school. A
school business official described his perceptions of the role for
parents:
"I think if the groundswell came from the parents, complaining
that they don’t have one [a breakfast program] or they wanted
a more enhanced one, I think that would spur movement in a district
more
than probably anything."
In contrast, few parents were able to envision or express a role for
themselves in the initiation of SBPs.
Other Issues
Several other issues were identified by the focus groups featuring school
foodservice directors. The foodservice directors were not confident
that they could convince administrators and teachers of the importance
of school breakfast because they felt that their knowledge and opinions
were not respected or valued by others in the school environment. They
felt that the lack of value placed on their programs and their positions
is exhibited by, among other things, cuts in time allocated to the
breakfast program and their exclusion from the educational component
of the school system.
The school foodservice directors commented on the existence of "peer
pressure" among school districts, reporting that their administrators
often follow the lead of other specific school districts in implementing
changes or new programs. The school foodservice directors and school
administrators felt that support for existing programs tends to grow
over time, as the benefits of the program are recognized.
In summary, key disparities were found in perceptions among the groups.
Although school administrators expressed concerns about costs and staffing,
school foodservice directors did not identify these issues as barriers.
Despite the fact that meals offered through the SBP must meet federal
nutrition standards, support for the program waned among parents and
school administrators if they perceived that only foods of low nutritional
value were being served. Although parents speculated that students would
not choose healthy foods for breakfast, students expressed interest in
a wide variety of foods, with a range of nutritional values. School administrators
and school foodservice directors recognized parents as strong forces
for change within schools, however, few parents identified a role for
themselves in the initiation of a school breakfast service.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Nine focus groups conducted with stakeholders in the educational environment
showed evidence of disparities related to their perceptions of barriers
to increasing school breakfast participation. Research identifying perceived
barriers to school breakfast programs is limited, and no previous research
has compared perceptions of these barriers by various stakeholders. This
research identified key concepts and disparities that could present an
entry point for intervention and education. Differences were found in
various areas, including program costs, scheduling and timing, philosophical
issues relating to school or parent responsibilities, social opportunities,
stigma associated with participation, food quality, and the roles available
for parents. In addition, school foodservice directors noted issues specific
to their roles in the school environment.
Certain limitations are inherent in focus group research. Only one focus
group was conducted with business managers, but because of the similarity
in responses with those of the principals, results were discussed in
combination. Perceptions expressed by focus group participants do not
necessarily represent those of the majority of their colleagues or peers
and, therefore, cannot be generalized as the opinion of the larger population.
This research does, however, provide critical insights into perceived
barriers to school breakfast programs, as well as offer a comparison
of those perceptions among key stakeholders. Additional research is needed
to expand on these findings and to determine specific, effective methods
to facilitate the uniform support of school breakfast programs.
Issues related to management of school breakfast programs, such as scheduling,
timing, and cost, were considered to be major barriers by administrators.
School foodservice directors recognized this perception by administrators,
but felt that creativity and experience could overcome them. Alternative
programs have been created to address these difficulties, such as "Grab ‘n'
Go Breakfast," "Breakfast After 1st Period," and "Breakfast
in the Classroom." Sharing information about these and other successful
breakfast programs could help administrators and school foodservice directors
work together to overcome barriers to school breakfast. Similarly, funding
sources may be available to assist with program start-up or operation.
Sharing ideas and sources of funding can help overcome issues related
to cost.
Concerns related to school or parental responsibilities are difficult
to address directly. However, statistics on the number of children from
all walks of life who start the day without breakfast, and the health
and cognitive issues related to skipping breakfast are compelling. Awareness
and motivational media such as videotapes, resource lists, and governmental
and other Web sites with relevant statistics could be provided to school
foodservice directors and parent groups who are attempting to initiate
or expand breakfast programs. These tools could be used to present the
case to school decision-makers to help them become aware of the need
for breakfast at school.
Among both parents and school administrators, support for school breakfast
waned if they perceived that only foods of low nutritional value were
being served. Education may be needed to help these groups understand
that school breakfasts must meet federal nutrition standards (no more
than 30% of calories come from fat; less than 10% of calories from saturated
fat; and one-fourth of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein,
calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and calories).
The barrier of stigma associated with school breakfast might best be
solved by linking it with positive social benefits, which were reported
by a majority of the focus group participants in this study. If a school’s
culture supports school breakfast through creative activities, all students
would be encouraged to participate, thus eliminating the stigma that
school breakfast is only for low-income children. Examples of such activities
include principals and teachers eating with students, music in the cafeteria,
and the establishment of an atmosphere conducive to socializing. The
alternative breakfast service methods mentioned above, as well as a Universal
Breakfast program, can make school breakfast the norm for all students.
Although school administrators and school foodservice directors recognized
parents as a strong force for change within schools and districts, parents
did not recognize this role for themselves. Parents could be encouraged
to play an active role in school decision-making, especially related
to nutrition issues, such as school breakfast. A variety of approaches
may be effective in this effort, including providing information on parent
involvement strategies, as well as resources related to nutrition and
health. Efforts also are needed to encourage stronger relationships between
parents and school foodservice personnel so they can form partnerships
that help each other create positive nutrition environments.
School foodservice directors expressed a lack of confidence in their
abilities to persuade others in the school environment about the benefits
of breakfast programs. They also perceived a general lack of value placed
on school meals programs and school foodservice personnel. A variety
of educational programs and materials could be identified for the purpose
of expanding the role of the school foodservice director into the classroom
and the community. Such efforts could enhance the status of school foodservice
directors, as well as the school meals programs. Mentoring and train-the-trainer
programs offer excellent vehicles for sharing success stories. Using
these models, school foodservice directors who have overcome school breakfast
barriers could share their knowledge with their peers and enhance the
professionalism of both the trainer and the trainee.
While school foodservice directors who participated in the focus groups
were supportive of school breakfast, efforts may be needed to promote
the program to those showing less enthusiasm. Based on results of the
focus groups, specific recommendations for school foodservice personnel
include the following:
- Identify a key individual in the school district who will
support the program and act as an advocate.
- Consider beginning the program as a pilot.
- Survey students about food preferences.
- Serve healthy food options.
- Market the program to all audiences.
- Identify other school foodservice directors with successful programs
who might have suggestions for overcoming barriers.
- Search for resources and materials to use in the classroom and community
to promote the health and learning benefits of the School
Breakfast Program and good nutrition in general. Recommended Web sites include
those
of the Food and Nutrition Information
Center,
Team Nutrition,
the School
Nutrition Association (formerly American School Food Service Association),
and Project
PA.
Other materials that can be used to initiate or increase participation
in breakfast include the following:
-
Expanding Breakfast Manual and Video Kit (National Dairy Council and
Child Nutrition Foundation) – available through the SNA
Emporium.
- New Ways to Promote School Breakfast (Florida Citrus Growers) – available
through the SNA Emporium.
- School Breakfast for First Class Learning (Midwest 5-Star Child
Nutrition Task Force) – available from the National
Food Service Management Institute.
Despite the reported benefits of the SBP, rates of participation in
the program are significantly lower than those in the NSLP. This research
identified barriers to the initiation and promotion of school breakfast
and found disparities in perceptions of obstacles among different groups.
Understanding these perceived barriers among key stakeholders provides
an entry point for education and the development of common visions for
successful school breakfast programs.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This project was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education,
Division of Food and Nutrition, with federal State Administrative Expense
funds provided by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
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BIOGRAPHY
McDonnell is a coordinator for Project PA for the Department of Nutritional
Sciences at Pennsylvania State University. Probart is director of Project
PA and associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences
at Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. Weirich is manager
of Project PA for the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania
State University in State College, PA. Hartman is assistant professor
in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Pennsylvania State University
in State College, PA. Birkenshaw is state director for Child Nutrition
Programs for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Food
and Nutrition in Harrisburg, PA. |