Key Takeaways

Free meal programs are linked to less high blood pressure among children

The proportion of kids with high blood pressure fell by nearly 11% over five years at schools with universal free meals

The meals are healthier, potentially improving kids’ weight as well as their blood pressure

FRIDAY, Oct. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Universal free meal programs appear to improve kids’ heart health, a new study says.

The proportion of students with high blood pressure fell by nearly 11% over five years among schools that signed up for free meal programs, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open .

The better nutrition kids get from these free meals at school likely helped drive this improvement, along with healthy eating’s subsequent effects on children’s body weigh

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