Healthier school meals and nutrition support for rural K–12 students
Evaluation of a Comprehensive School Nutrition Enrichment Intervention (CSNEI) in Rural School Districts
Testing whether adding a full school nutrition and enrichment program in rural K–12 schools helps prevent childhood obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11137716 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If my child goes to one of the participating rural schools, the schools will introduce a comprehensive nutrition program aimed at improving what kids eat and supporting healthy growth. Six rural school districts will be compared — three that use the program and three matched districts that do not — with measurements taken before and at several points after the program starts. About 11,500 students across the districts will have height, weight, and related data collected repeatedly to track BMI and other nutrition-related markers. The comparison uses a matched-pairs cluster randomized design so whole districts, not individual students, get assigned to the program or comparison.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are K–12 students who attend one of the participating rural school districts, especially in Arkansas where the project is based.
Not a fit: Children who do not attend the participating school districts would not receive the program benefits directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower obesity rates among rural children and reduce their future risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous school-based nutrition programs have sometimes improved diet quality and modestly affected BMI, but results have been mixed and large cluster trials in rural U.S. settings are limited.
Where this research is happening
Little Rock, United States
- Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis — Little Rock, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Long, Christopher — Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
- Study coordinator: Long, Christopher
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.