Influence of free nutrition lunch policy on overweight of rural adolescents: Based on China Education Panel Survey Junior High School Cohort data

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the influence of the free nutritious lunch policy on the risk of overweight in rural adolescents in China. Methods: Based on the data of China Education Panel Survey Junior High School Cohort from 2013 to 2016, this paper analyzes the influence of the policy on overweight risk in adolescents in rural China with logistic model, and a total of 3 453 rural teenagers were included. Results: Adolescents who received free lunch in the first year of junior high school had a 35.8% (P<0.05) and 31.6% (P<0.05) lower risk of being overweight in the second year and one year after junior high school graduation than those who didn't. Also, adolescents who received free lunch in the second year of junior high school had a 36.7% (P<0.05) and 29.9% (P<0.05) lower risk of being overweight in the third grade and one year after graduation than those who didn't. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of being overweight one year after the graduation between adolescents who received free lunch in third year and those who didn't. And boys benefited more from this policy than girls. Conclusions: The free nutrition lunch policy has long term effect to reduce the likelihood of being overweight for adolescents, and the impact has a cumulative effect. This suggests that the free nutrition lunch policy is effective in promoting health of adolescents in terms of overweight.