Bill Overview
Title: Healthy Meal Time Act of 2022
Description: 22 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into an agreement with an independent, nonpartisan, science-based research organization to carry out a study on the time lunches are served, the time that recess is offered, and the duration of lunch periods at schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. USDA must also make the findings of the study publicly available online; establish a task force, in coordination with the Department of Education, to review the study, review other related research, and develop best practices for lunch and recess periods to ensure student health, including appropriate nutritional intake; and issue guidance regarding such best practices to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.
Sponsors: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Target Audience
Population: People in countries with similar National School Lunch Programs
Estimated Size: 30000000
- The bill directly affects schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, which includes the majority of public schools in the United States.
- Students will be directly impacted as changes to lunch and recess periods may influence their health and wellbeing.
- Teachers and school staff will be impacted as changes may affect scheduling and management of daily school activities.
- Parents may also be indirectly impacted as changes improve or alter the school experience for their children.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints imply that major physical changes to infrastructure (like building new cafeterias) are unlikely to be funded directly by this policy. The focus on research and guidelines suggests that the initial impacts will be more about aligning practices with identified best practices.
- Given that 30 million children are involved, the policy’s direct and immediate effects will be more perceptible for those students whose schools adopt any new guidelines quickly.
- The long-term well-being changes depend on whether schools can and will incorporate suggested practices effectively, influencing student health and potentially academic outcomes.
- Non-participating schools or those slow to adopt changes, as well as people without school-aged children, may see no direct impact, affecting 'commonness'.
- Considering diverse school settings and demographics, not all groups will experience the policy’s effects uniformly.
Simulated Interviews
Elementary School Student (New York, NY)
Age: 7 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I like having more time for recess because it's fun and I get to play with my friends.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
High School Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 16 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If lunch is scheduled better, I might actually eat it and feel more energetic during practice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Teacher (Dallas, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this policy will make coordinating meal and class times easier and healthier for kids.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
School Administrator (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Adopting some best practices is good, but we need to balance them with our existing budget constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Public Health Researcher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's exciting to see nutrition taken seriously; it could have long-term health benefits for kids.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
School Dietitian (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Guidelines on meal timing could reduce waste and improve efficiency. It's a win-win for food services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Parent (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If kids are healthier at school, that's less stress on a busy parent like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My high school would have benefited so much from better-timed lunches.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired Principal (Rural Iowa)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Change in lunchtime policy is good but execution will be key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
State Education Official (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Aligning with best practices is essential for setting good patterns in schools across the state.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Successful coordination between the USDA and the Department of Education is crucial for the effective implementation of the task force and guidance.
- The accuracy and comprehensiveness of the independent research are vital for the development of best practices for student health.
- The timeline and efficiency of making study findings public and issuing guidance could affect costs.