ArticleThe Journal of school health2026
Universal School Meal Policies and Perceived Stigma: Quantitative Evidence From Eight US States.
Article in The Journal of school health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Food Insecurity and Mental Health Among High School Students: Evidence From National and Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data.The Journal of school health · 2026Article
- Ending universal school meals: student perspectives on how policy reversal shapes hunger, stigma, and learning.Health affairs scholar · 2026Article
- Perspectives on Universal Free School Meals Among Rural Middle and High School Students: A Mixed-Methods Study.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Do children in food-insecure households in England access free school meals? A cross-sectional analysis of the UK Family Resources Survey.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Universal School Meal Policies and Perceived Stigma: Quantitative Evidence From Eight US States.The Journal of school health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundUniversal school meals (USMs) policies, which provide free meals to all students regardless of income, have the potential to improve child nutrition and reduce stigma. Quantitative evidence on the association between USM and stigma is limited.
methodsLeveraging a natural policy variation in state-level USM implementation, we surveyed 1066 middle and high school students from eight US states (four with USM, four without) during the 2022-2023 school year. Stigma was measured as self-reported embarrassment about eating school lunch. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the associations between USM, embarrassment, and lunch participation.
resultsOverall about one in nine students (11.5%) across all surveyed states reported embarrassment, which was associated with 11% less frequent (aRR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.97). School lunch participation overall, especially among those from low-income families. While USM was associated with lower odds of embarrassment among students from low-income families, higher-income students in USM states were more likely to feel embarrassed. IMPLICATIONS: Addressing stigma requires pairing USM with strategies to enhance meal quality, cultural relevance, and inclusive messaging.
conclusionsUSM can alleviate stigma for lower-income students yet may increase embarrassment among higher-income peers, highlighting the need for comprehensive approaches benefiting all socioeconomic groups.
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