Healthy School Meals and Educational Outcomes

This paper provides quasi-experimental evidence on the effects of diet on educational outcomes, exploiting a campaign led in the UK in 2004, which introduced drastic changes in the meals offered in the schools of one Borough – Greenwich, shifting from low-budget processed meals towards healthier options. We evaluate the effect of the campaign on educational outcomes in primary schools using a difference in differences approach; comparing educational outcomes in primary schools (key stage 2 outcomes more specifically) before and after the reform, using the neighbouring Local Education Authorities as a control group. We find evidence that educational outcomes did improve significantly in English and Science. We also find that the campaign led to a 15% fall in authorised absences – which are most likely linked to illness and health. [M. Belot and J. James, Royal Economic Society, July 2009  (PDF)