Review of Related Literature

Feeding interventions can catalyze community development, bring about social protection
and economic empowerment, influence agricultural production systems to deliver diverse
and nutritious foods, promote lifelong healthy-eating habits, and address basic health,
hygiene, and sanitation issues that affect wellbeing. By providing a better health and living
environment, schools have the potential to not only support education, but also underpin
mainstream nutrition activities in communities and advance child development (Patton et
al. 2016).

School feeding programs are common in both developing and industrialized countries.
The objectives of school feeding programs are to provide meals or snacks to reduce short-
term hunger in the classroom so that the students can concentrate and learn better, and
to attract children to school and have them attend regularly.
School feeding programs are likely to improve the nutrient intake of participating children.
A study in Huaraz, Peru shows that for children who received breakfast at schools, dietary
intake of energy increased by 2 percent, protein by 28 percent, and iron by 4 percent
compared to the control group (Jacoby et al. 1996). An evaluation of a school feeding
program in Jamaica assessed the dietary impact of school breakfast consisting of a bun
and half pint of milk. Results show that the program provided 32 percent and 45 percent
of daily energy and protein requirements, respectively (Chambers 1991). In Brazil, a study
of a large school lunch program examined the impact of the program on consumption of
calories and protein by school children in Sao Paulo. Participation in the program was
associated with an increased availability of 357 calories and 8.5 grams of protein
(Dall’Acqua 1991).

There is evidence from school feeding program evaluations that some programs do
improve children’s nutritional status. For example, a randomized, controlled trial of giving
breakfast to undernourished versus adequately nourished children studied in Jamaica
showed positive results: compared to the control group, both height and weight improved
significantly in the breakfast group (Powell et al. 1998).

The Philippines faces a double burden of malnutrition, namely, undernutrition and

excessive weight and obesity in the same population. The Food and Nutrition Research
Institute’s (FNRI) survey on the 2015 Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children
and Other Population Groups suggested that among children aged 5-10 years, 31.1%
were stunted, 31.2% were underweight, 8.4% were wasted, and 8.6% were overweight
or obese. Among children aged 10-19 years, 31.9% were stunted, 12.5% wasted, and
9.2% were overweight or obese (Department of Science and Technology Food and
Nutrition Research Institute 2015). The Nutritional Status Report of Students aged 5 to
12 years for the 2016-17 school year showed that 3.64% were severely wasted, 9.34%
were wasted, 2.10% were overweight, and 0.65% were obese (DepEd, unpublished). In
contrast, the 2015 Global School Health Survey of high-school students aged 13-15 years
revealed 10.7% were underweight, 10.1% were overweight, and 2.4% were obese (WHO
2015).

The Philippine nutrition situation remains a public health problem, according to latest data
from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). Underweight prevalence has not
changed from 2003 to 2015. Prevalence of wasting or thinness among preschool children
slightly decreased from 5.1% in 2013 to 3.9% in 2015. Prevalence of stunting, or
underheight, increased greatly: 33% from 2013 to 2015. Health and nutrition
interventions, i.e., supplementation, food fortification, nutrition education, and exclusive
breastfeeding are in place to address all forms of malnutrition. However, a majority of
target populations in the rural areas and among low-income groups are most affected
because of lack of access to appropriate services, resulting in poor growth and failure to
reach their full human potential.
School feeding programmes have been established in large parts of developing countries
all over the world, improving general socioeconomic conditions as well as providing
educational and nutritional benefits to participants. Recent reviews conclude that school
feeding programmes have a significant positive effect on growth.