Impact of School Meal Program on Child Nutrition and Academic Performance

Childhood nutrition is an important determinant of physical growth, cognitive development, and academic performance. Poor nutrition may affect children's physical health, concentration, school participation, and learning. School meal program provide an opportunity to improve children's access to nutritious food during school hours; however, there is limited evidence from Pakistan on their effects on both nutritional status and academic performance.

This study will be conducted among primary school children aged 6-11 years enrolled in Grades 1-5 in selected government primary schools in peri-urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan. The selected schools will be characterized by food insecurity, low socioeconomic status, limited access to basic facilities, and educational vulnerability. The study will use a school-based pre-post intervention design with a control group and will be conducted over 12 weeks.

Children in the intervention group will receive a school meal designed to provide approximately one-third of the daily energy requirement for school-aged children. Children in the control group will continue their usual dietary practices and regular school routine without receiving the study meal. Daily records will be maintained to monitor meal distribution and consumption among children in the intervention group, with support from teachers and school staff.

Changes in nutritional status will be assessed before and after the 12-week intervention using anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, BMI-for-age, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Body composition will also be assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis to obtain indicators such as fat mass and muscle mass.

Educational outcomes will be assessed using school records, including school attendance and examination scores. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires will collect information on dietary intake, socioeconomic background, and general health to provide additional information for interpretation of the study findings.

The primary objective of the study is to assess the impact of the school meal program on the nutritional status and academic performance of primary school children in Lahore. The study will also examine the relationship between nutritional status and academic performance.

The findings are expected to provide locally relevant evidence regarding the potential contribution of school meal program to child nutrition and educational outcomes and may support evidence-based decision-making regarding school meal programs in Pakistan.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 6-11 years (Grades 1-5).
• Children enrolled in the selected government primary schools.
• Children present on the day of data collection.
• Parental or guardian consent obtained.

Exclusion criteria

• Children with chronic illness affecting growth.
• Students absent during data collection.
• Refusal of consent by parents or guardians.