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BACKGROUND: Approximately 20% of US children are obese and these rates are expected to increase. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides meals to millions of students and may influence their body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to investigate whether students who participate in the NSLP have a higher BMI when compared to those that do not. METHODS: Secondary data from the US Census Bureau were analyzed. Kruskal‐Wallis H tests were performed to find associations between NSLP participation and students' BMI. Race and economic stability were included as moderating variables. RESULTS: NSLP participation and respondents that identified as White/Caucasian, African American, and Native American were positively associated with BMI. Lower economic stability was also positively associated with BMI. CONCLUSION: Participation in the NSLP was significantly associated with participants' BMI, race, and economic stability. While a cause‐and‐effect relationship cannot be determined, these results are important given their potential influence on students' long‐term health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micronutrient adequacy of common fad diets is rarely assessed. We compared a high‐fiber diet [HF] with a low‐carbohydrate diet [LC] to assess their effects on body weight and micronutrient adequacy. One hundred and seventy‐three adult males and females with or without diabetes with a mean body mass index of 36 kg/m2 were randomized to either a HF or LC diet. Differences in anthropometrics, blood lipids, glucose, blood pressure, and micronutrient consumption between groups were assessed after 52 weeks. Differences between groups a priori were assessed using independent t tests and chi‐squared tests. Post hoc differences in nutrient consumption between groups while controlling for gender were assessed using factorial analysis of variance. After 52 weeks, LC dieters (n = 24) retained weight loss better than their HF counterparts (n = 30) (p =.06). LC dieters consumed more vitamin K (mcg) [HF = 124.0 ± 15.0; LC = 220.0 ± 39.1; p =.025] and vitamin B12 (mcg) [HF = 3.1 ± 0.3; LC = 4.1 ± 0.4; p =.026]. The HF group consumed more folate (mcg) [HF = 479.9 ± 34.0); LC = 333.8 ± 22.1; p <.001], magnesium (mg) [HF = 353.1 ± 17.4; LC = 281.1 ± 18.0; p <.001], and iron (mg) [HF = 14.6 ± 0.8; LC = 10.7 ± 0.6; p <.001. Both groups consumed less than the respective EAR for vitamins D and E and less than the AI for potassium. While a LC diet may be more effective for long‐term weight loss, both diets were deficient in micronutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]