PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Daniel L. Millimet
AU  - Rusty Tchernis
AU  - Muna Husain
TI  - School Nutrition Programs and the Incidence of Childhood Obesity
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.45.3.640
DP  - 2010 Jul 01
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 640--654
VI  - 45
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/45/3/640.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/45/3/640.full
SO  - J Hum Resour2010 Jul 01; 45
AB  - Given the recent rise in childhood obesity, the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have received renewed attention. Using panel data on more than 13,500 primary school students, we assess the relationship between SBP and NSLP participation and (relatively) long-run measures of child weight. After documenting a positive association between participation and child weight, we find evidence of non-random selection into the SBP. Allowing for such selection is sufficient to alter the results, indicating that the SBP is a valuable tool in the current battle against childhood obesity, whereas the NSLP exacerbates the current epidemic.