Journal article
Effects of a free school breakfast programme on children's attendance, academic achievement and short-term hunger: Results from a stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial
C Ni Mhurchu, D Gorton, M Turley, Y Jiang, J Michie, R Maddison, J Hattie
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health | Published : 2013
Abstract
Background: Free school breakfast programmes (SBPs) exist in a number of high-income countries, but their effects on educational outcomes have rarely been evaluated in randomised controlled trials. Methods: A 1-year stepped-wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial was undertaken in 14 New Zealand schools in low socioeconomic resource areas. Participants were 424 children, mean age 9±2 years, 53% female. The intervention was a free daily SBP. The primary outcome was children's school attendance. Secondary outcomes were academic achievement, selfreported grades, sense of belonging at school, behaviour, short-term hunger, breakfast habits and food security. Results: There was no statistically..
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Awarded by Health Research Council of New Zealand
Awarded by National Heart Foundation
Funding Acknowledgements
The study was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (09/337). CNM holds the National Heart Foundation Senior Fellowship (grant 1380). The Health Research Council and the Heart Foundation played no role in design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review or approval of the manuscript. Food for the Red Cross Breakfast in Schools programme was provided free of charge by Countdown supermarkets (Progressive Enterprises Ltd). Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited and Sanitarium Health Food Company supplemented provision of foods for the private sector programme. The Red Cross, Countdown, Fonterra and Sanitarium played no role in design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; and preparation or approval of the manuscript.