It is unclear what effects free school meals can have in Norwegian schools
In connection with the announced investment in a national school meal scheme, FHI, on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has assessed the international and Nordic research results on the effect of offering a free school meal.
– I utgreinga have set myself different outcome goals such as, for example. participation in the school meal, weight status, diet, academic results, absenteeism and social inequality. The knowledge summaries also lead to the school meal set up against sustainability, explains center manager Arnfinn Helleve
Knowledge summary The effect of a free school meal
Lunch positive, unsure about breakfast
The researchers found that most of the international studies reported that they found correlations between offering free school meals, separate lunches, and increased participation in school meals and better nutrition. The result for breakfast was more uncertain.
The results from Nordic literature, which can be more easily transferred to a Norwegian context, were of a more varied nature. However, there are individual Nordic studies that see a positive effect of offering free school meals on individual dietary outcomes and equalizing social differences in diet, but these are often smaller studies, explains Helleve further.
A study from Denmark which examined the effect of food waste showed that a hot school meal led to more food waste compared to packed lunches.
– Need for more knowledge
– Although there are a number of studies that look at the effect of school meals, it is important that, in the event of a new national scheme for school meals, arrangements should be made to research the effect of this. There is a need for more knowledge about what effects a free school meal can have in a Norwegian school context, concludes head teacher Arfinn Helleve.