# Trends in national-level school feeding policy objectives worldwide: Japan and multiple countries

## TL;DR

This study explores school feeding policy goals globally, highlighting Japan's unique focus on social and environmental values.

## Contribution

The paper identifies and categorizes school feeding policy objectives across 23 countries, emphasizing Japan's distinct approach.

## Key findings

- School feeding objectives are grouped into five domains: health, education, social protection, agriculture, and others.
- Japan's policies uniquely emphasize sociability, nature appreciation, and respect for life.
- The study draws on data from the Global Survey of School Meal Programs.

## Abstract

Public policy denotes a government’s formal intent to address specific issues in pursuit of defined objectives. The vision and mission of school feeding have progressively expanded. This study examined school feeding policy objectives across multiple countries, drawing on data from the Global Survey of School Meal Programs, and identified 23 relevant policies. The objectives were classified into five domains: health and nutrition, education, social protection, agriculture, and other areas. Japan is particularly notable for distinctive aims, including enhancing school life, fostering sociability and cooperation, promoting appreciation of nature, and cultivating respect for life and the natural world.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41182-025-00818-1.