School Nutrition Programs and the Incidence of Childhood Obesity / Daniel L. Millimet, Rusty Tchernis, Muna Husain.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Millimet, Daniel L.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Tchernis, Rusty.

Husain, Muna.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w14297.

NBER working paper series no. w14297

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2008.

Summary:

In light of the recent rise in childhood obesity, the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have received renewed attention. Using panel data on over 13,500 primary school students, we assess the relationship between SBP and NSLP participation and (relatively) long-run measures of child weight. After documenting a positive association between SBP participation and child weight, and no association between NSLP participation and child weight, we present evidence indicating positive selection into the SBP. Allowing for even modest positive selection is sufficient to alter the results, indicating that the SBP is a valuable tool in the current battle against childhood obesity, whereas the NSLP exacerbates the current epidemic.

Notes:

Print version record

September 2008.