Call to Action for Researchers and Funders of Research

As you know, there is still much to learn about the effect of the School Breakfast Program on child health and learning.

We encourage and await research that answers these and other pertinent research questions.

1. Do children who eat two breakfasts naturally regulate their consumption throughout the rest of the day or burn more calories throughout the day than those who eat just one breakfast, or are they at risk for caloric intake?
2. Does portion size of morning meals matter to child health and well-being more than the number of morning meals per day?   
3. How does a single daily breakfast versus double breakfast influence weight over time in children?  
4. Through what pathway does the School Breakfast Program influence learning and child health?
5. Does the School Breakfast Program benefit all students, or specific subpopulations of students?
6. What are the long term effects of the School Breakfast Program on child health and learning?  
7. How will the new federal nutrition requirements of the School Breakfast Program affect students’ diets?  
8. How can we modify the implementation of the School Breakfast Program to further improve nutrition?
9. Are there specific models of the School Breakfast Program that are more effective at improving child outcomes than others?
10. Does providing universal free school breakfast have any negative effects on students’ health and/or well-being?
11. Does bringing children together for breakfast in the classroom build relationships or a positive school culture?  
12. Are there any negative consequences to breakfast in the classroom?