Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40462048›Full record

Observational studyBMC public health2025

School food programs and food insecurity at the REACH school network: an observational study.

Kavin Qiu, Jessica A Omand, Youssef Elshaarawi, Saisujani Rasiah-Shaidev, Charles Keown-Stoneman, Justine Cohen-Silver, Jonathon L Maguire, Sloane Jaye Freeman

Abstract readObservational Study
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In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kavin QiuWomen and Children's Health Program, St. Michael'sHospital, Unity Health Toronto, 30 Bond Street 15 CC S, Toronto, ON, M5B1W8, Canada.
Jessica A OmandSchool of Nutrition - Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University, Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, 288 Church St., Room DCC-601, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Youssef ElshaarawiSchool of Nutrition - Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University, Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, 288 Church St., Room DCC-601, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Saisujani Rasiah-ShaidevWomen and Children's Health Program, St. Michael'sHospital, Unity Health Toronto, 30 Bond Street 15 CC S, Toronto, ON, M5B1W8, Canada.
Charles Keown-StonemanApplied Health Research Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B1W8, Canada.
Justine Cohen-SilverWomen and Children's Health Program St. Joseph's Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto, 30 The Queensway, Toronto, Ontairo, M6R 1B5, Canada.
Jonathon L MaguireWomen and Children's Health Program, St. Michael's Hospital, 2nd Floor Pediatric Clinic Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, M4C 2T2, Canada.
Sloane Jaye FreemanWomen and Children's Health Program, St. Michael's Hospital, 2nd Floor Pediatric Clinic Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, M4C 2T2, Canada. Sloane.freeman@unityhealth.to.

Funding

AFP Innovation Fund, St. Michael's Hospital Medical Services Association, Department of Pediatrics. SMH - 23-023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFood insecurity is common in Canada and impacts children more than any other age group. This study aimed to evaluate the association between participation in school food programs and food insecurity among students attending Canada's largest urban school-based health centre program, the REACH School Network.

methodsThis is a cross-sectional observational study from April 2022 to June 2024 at the REACH School Network. We administered the Growth and Nutrition Questionnaire to parents of children aged 3-17 years. Questions were related to dietary intake and participation in school food programs. Our primary outcome was food insecurity, using the Hunger Vital Sign. Logistic regression estimated the association between regular school food program participation and food insecurity, adjusting for covariates.

resultsOf 477 eligible participants, 316 consented (66.2% response rate), and 223 were included in the analysis. The mean age was 9.21 years (SD = 3.08); 69.1% identified as male. Overall, 134 (60.1%) regularly participated in a school food program. Food insecurity was reported by 97 (43.5%) participants, with similar prevalence among participants (44.8%) and non-participants (41.6%). Logistic regression, both unadjusted (OR = 1.14; 95% CI 0.66-1.97; P = 0.637) and adjusted (OR = 0.82; 95% CI 0.42-1.63; P = 0.579) found no significant association between school food program participation and food insecurity.

conclusionOur study highlights the complex relationship between food insecurity and school food program participation among an at-risk, urban children. Future research is needed, with larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs to better understand these complex relationships.

Indexed as

Food InsecurityFood ServicesFood SupplySchoolsAdolescentCanadaChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesEquityFood insecurityNutritionPolicySchool food programsSchool meals

Identifiers

PMID40462048
PMCPMC12131624

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.