Table 4.
Differences between NSLP participants and nonparticipants in mean HEI-2010 scores for 24 h intakes, by household income.
| Lower-Income Students | Higher-Income Students | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSLP Participants (n = 757) |
Nonparticipants (n = 210) |
Difference (NSLP Participants − Nonparticipants) | NSLP Participants (n = 475) |
Nonparticipants (n = 614) |
Difference (NSLP Participants − Nonparticipants) | |
| Adequacy components: Higher scores reflect higher concentrations in students’ 24 h intakes | ||||||
| Total fruit | 95.9 | 77.2 | 18.7 | 80.4 | 93.8 | −13.4 |
| Whole fruit | 100 | 93.7 | 6.3 | 99.5 | 100 | −0.5 |
| Total vegetables | 46.2 | 46.2 | 0 | 42.2 | 41.4 | 0.8 |
| Greens and beans | 17.1 | 30.7 | −13.6 | 13.1 | 33.1 | −20.0 * |
| Whole grains | 57.4 | 41.4 | 16.0 * | 58 | 43.4 | 14.5 * |
| Dairy | 98.5 | 79.6 | 18.9 * | 97.7 | 82 | 15.7 * |
| Total protein foods | 96.1 | 99.1 | −3.0 | 97.7 | 98.7 | −1.1 |
| Seafood and plant proteins | 59.6 | 81.5 | −21.9 | 71 | 73.1 | −2.1 |
| Fatty acids | 41.2 | 43.3 | −2.0 | 37.3 | 38.6 | −1.2 |
| Moderation components: Higher scores reflect lower concentrations in students’ 24 h intakes | ||||||
| Refined grains | 57.9 | 53.1 | 4.7 | 62.1 | 41.9 | 20.2 * |
| Sodium | 45.4 | 50.7 | −5.3 | 48.8 | 38.8 | 10.0 * |
| Empty calories | 72.5 | 65.9 | 6.6 | 72 | 72.3 | −0.3 |
| Total HEI score | 65.3 | 61.4 | 3.9 | 65 | 60.9 | 4.0 * |
Notes: Mean HEI-2010 scores are expressed as a percentage of maximum possible scores. * Within an income subgroup, the difference between NSLP participants and nonparticipants was significantly different from zero at the p < 0.05 level. HEI = Healthy Eating Index; NSLP = National School Lunch Program.