Do middle School Students Have Enough Time to Eat Lunch?

Abstract

Studies have indicated that the children who participate in National School Lunch Programs (NSLP) have better nutrient intakes than those who do not, resulting in better ability to concentrate and more attentive behavior. Concerns have been raised that students are not provided with enough time to receive and consume their lunches. A field research method was employed in two middle schools in Pittsburgh, NY (PL) and Ellensburg, WA (EL) to determine waiting time in service line (WSL), waiting time in cashier line (WCL), and travel time to the eating area (TTEA), the sum of these resulted in total student waiting time (TSWT). Opportunity time to eat (OTE), was also measured which consisted of consumption time (CT) and non-consumption time (NCT). Observations of 3583 students were made over 20 days of data collection. The lunch period in EL consisted of two, 35minute staggered lunch periods. PL provided six, 22minute staggered lunch periods. WSL was significantly longer in PL (PL: 2.98 ± 1.80min; EL: 1.60 ± 1..88min (all data are means ± SD), p < 0.05) resulting in a longer TSWT before students could start eating their meal. (PL: 3.75 ± 1.92min; EL: 2.53 ± 1.88min, p < 0.05) TTEA was slightly longer in EL (EL: 0.48 ± 0.40min; PL: 0.30 ± 0.30min, p < 0.05). WCL, OTE, CT, and NCT were all similar between the two schools. OTE averaged 11.75min of which a mean of 8.08min was devoted to consumption activities. Over 90 percent of the students had completed TSWT by 7minutes and had completed OTE by 12minutes for a total required lunch time of 19minutes. Results indicated that the 22minutes provided in PL and 35minutes provided in EL were sufficient to meet the TSWT, CT, and NCT needs of the students in these two schools.