Improving Participation in Universal School Meals (USM)
A Hybrid Type III Implementation-effectiveness Trial to Improve Implementation and Participation of Universal School Meals (USM)
1 other identifier
interventional
1,000
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of an implementation strategy on participation in Universal School Meals (USM).
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Feb 2025
Typical duration for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 8, 2024
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
August 30, 2024
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
February 20, 2025
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 1, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
January 31, 2028
April 24, 2025
April 1, 2025
2.8 years
July 8, 2024
April 18, 2025
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (5)
School Meal Participation
Counts to calculate number of students who participate in breakfast and lunch each day will be generated and totaled for each school.
Throughout study completion
Qualitative Interviews
Focus group interviews with students, parents, teachers, administration, and food service staff.
1 year
Implementation Mapping Self-Assessment
Self-assessment to document fidelity to implementation mapping procedures.
1 year
Implementation Cost Measure
A survey developed through stakeholder interviews to calculate costs of implementation will be completed by schools.
1 Year
Implementation Outcomes Surveys
Implementation outcomes of perceived acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of the implementation strategy will be assessed through surveys completed by school stakeholders
1 Year
Secondary Outcomes (4)
Height
Baseline and 1 year
Food Insecurity
Baseline and 1 year
Dietary Behaviors
Baseline and 1 year
Student Weight
Baseline and 1 year
Study Arms (2)
Implementation Strategy - Intervention Condition
EXPERIMENTALSchools in the intervention condition will be assigned to receive coaching and logistical support to develop and tailor an implementation strategy across 1 academic year. This strategy will then be implemented gradually and in the following academic years (2- year pilot).
Waitlist Control
ACTIVE COMPARATORSchools in the waitlist control will wait 1 academic year before developing and testing an implementation strategy (1-year pilot)
Interventions
Implementation mapping is a stakeholder-driven process whereby researchers and practitioners work together to develop an implementation strategy.
Implementation mapping is a stakeholder-driven process whereby researchers and practitioners work together to develop an implementation strategy. Participating schools receiving this treatment will wait one year before developing an implementation strategy for testing.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- An elementary/middle or high school within the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) that provides free breakfast and lunch to students
- School is willing to be randomized to either a treatment or waitlist comparison condition
- School has a team of teachers, administration, and food service staff who are willing to complete interviews and surveys for data collection
- School has valid data for student Body Mass Index, meal participation, and food insecurity (parent reported).
- Students currently enrolled in a SDP elementary/middle/high school
- Students willing to participate in an interview and complete surveys
- Students have participated in school meals in the last year.
You may not qualify if:
- Charter schools and private schools
- Students not enrolled in school full time; students under 11 years of age.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Temple Universitylead
- The School District of Philadelphiacollaborator
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)collaborator
Study Sites (1)
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122, United States
Related Publications (1)
McLoughlin GM, Smith A, Dopp AR, Jones R, Martinez O, Kumanyika S, Yucel R, Brownson RC, Fisher JO. Using implementation mapping to optimize the impact of Universal School meals: a type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness study protocol. Implement Sci Commun. 2025 Oct 1;6(1):97. doi: 10.1186/s43058-025-00769-y.
PMID: 41034951DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Assistant Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 8, 2024
First Posted
August 30, 2024
Study Start
February 20, 2025
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
January 31, 2028
Last Updated
April 24, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-04
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Shared Documents
- STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
- Time Frame
- The data will be made available prior to publication of the first manuscript and will be made available open access until 10 years following the end of the trial period.
Data elements: 1) Individual linked integrated database containing up to \~1000 records from the School District of Philadelphia from 2024-2027; 2) up to \~100 interview recordings and transcripts conducted with students in middle (6-8) and high (9-12) school grades, teachers, food service staff/personnel, administrators, and other staff; 3) up to \~30-50 survey entries to capture implementation outcomes of acceptability, feasibility, cost, and sustainability. 1\) Data are accessible only to the study team through an existing data license agreement between Temple University and the School District of Philadelphia. We do not anticipate the ability to preserve and share these data. 2) Transcripts will be de-identified and any potentially revealing information will be removed prior to sharing. 3) Survey data will be de-identified and any potentially revealing information will be removed prior to sharing.