Contribution of school meals to the recommended nutrient and energy intake of children enrolled in the National Homegrown School Feeding Program in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

BackgroundA poor nutritional status in children results in reduced physical and mental health and poor academic performance. The National Homegrown School Feeding Program (NHSFP) was introduced in Nigeria in 2016 to ameliorate short-term hunger and improve the nutritional status of school-aged children (SAC). At least 33% of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for the enrolled students should be met by the school meals. However, to our knowledge, the contribution of school meals served through the NHSFP to the RNI of SAC in Zaria, Nigeria, remains to be explored. MethodsWe conducted a school-based cross-sectional study among 276 eligible SAC recruited from public primary schools in the Zaria Local Government Area. Portion sizes of the meals served through the NHSFP were determined using an electronic scale, meal samples were collected for nutrient analysis, and the average daily nutrient intake of the participants from the meals was calculated. The average daily intake of nutrients and energy of the participants was compared with the age- and sex-specific RNI to estimate the percentage contribution of the meals. ResultsThe portion sizes recorded were 199.3 ± 20.6 g, 263.9 ± 11.5 g, 242.1 ± 16.8 g, 311 ± 17.3 g, and 160.3 ± 1.9 mL, respectively, for moi-moi, jollof rice and beans, bean porridge, jollof rice and boiled egg, and yoghurt. In addition, the meals contained moisture (30.13–66.11%), ash (0.73–7.08%), crude fat (9–32.61%), crude protein (7.25–24.5%), crude fiber (0–2.45%), and total carbohydrate (2.19–29.74%) with an energy content ranging from 183.6 to 330.57 kcal. Similarly, the meals contained calcium (82.58—711 mg), potassium (133–797 mg), sodium (340–1720 mg), iron (0.078–8.60 mg), zinc (1.84–13.4 mg), vitamin A (2.38–100.56 RAE), and vitamin C (0.04–1.57 mg) per 100 g of the school meals. The meals contributed 18.2–19.1%, 102.8–183.7%, 13.04–13.6%, and 26.1%–35.8% of the RNI for carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and energy, respectively. Furthermore, they contributed 137–175%, 314.3–502.2%, 87.6–142.1%, 21.5–25.1%, 279.2–348.5%, 3.3–5.9%, 24.7–48.8%, and 3.3–5.9% of the RNI for iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, respectively. ConclusionThe meals served through the NHSFP contributed at least 33% of the RNI for energy, protein, iron, calcium, sodium, vitamin A, and zinc. However, they could not meet the 33% of the RNI for carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Increasing the portion sizes and the diversity of the meals can address the suboptimal contribution of the meals to the RNI for carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.