The University of California Center for Weight and Health (CWH) facilitates collaborations among individuals, communities and institutions concerned about weight, health and food security. CWH researchers have worked with state health and education departments, school districts and communities across California to document and evaluate health and education programs dealing with nutrition, food change, physical activity, obesity and diabetes. For SLI, CWH faculty and student researchers will manage and facilitate project evaluation, data collection and analysis.

The CWH evaluation will document 4th and 5th grade elementary student exposure to various program components, including Garden/kitchen programs; SLI curriculum and teacher involvement; Food service offerings; and King dining experience pilot following them for three years into middle school - 7th and 8th grades. Evaluation will be measured based on student food consumption; physical activity levels and individual fitness gram results; and food/activity knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, CWH will conduct interviews with teachers, parents and others about their perceptions of the program.

Key Questions include:

• How has the School Lunch Initiative been implemented in the school district, and what were the barriers and successes?
• What are the perceptions among teachers, parents, students, school administrators and other stakeholders about the School Lunch Initiative?
• What impact does exposure to various levels of the School Lunch Initiative have on student attitudes, knowledge and behaviors related to food, active lifestyles, learning and health?

Project Outcomes include:

• A roadmap of the evidence of student impacts
• Documentation of the health behavior impacts of individual and combined School Lunch Initiative components
• A guide to future program developments or modifications