Nutrition policy and food policy: The impact of interest groups of federal school-meals regulations, 1992--1996

In the United States, nutrition is the subject of Congressional policymaking through support of school lunch programs. Issues of nutritional excess drove school meal reform efforts in the 1990s. Regulatory changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1994 held promise for bringing comprehensive and progressive changes to the NSLP. However, intensive lobbying by interest groups resulted in substantial changes to the final rule. The research reported here retrospectively examines the process of federal school-meals policymaking during the years 1992 through 1996. The key questions address why the policy changed and what the role of interest groups was in affecting the shape, pace, and direction of the policy. The research design and methodology used an ecological view of policymaking similar to the advocacy coalition approach to interpret school-meals policymaking. Qualitative data from semi-structured key informant interviews were complemented by objective data obtained through document review. The study found that one interest group in particular---the American School Food Service Association---had the greatest influence on the shape, pace, and direction of the policy. The study provides suggestions for food and nutrition policymakers for using the experiences of 1992 through 1996 to guide their future efforts as well as how to adapt the approach used in this case and apply it to analyses of other food and nutrition policies. Lessons learned will be incorporated into a booklet for use by food and nutrition advocates to assist in the development of political skills necessary to effectively influence the policymaking process.