How the number and type of primary school meals affect food variety and dietary diversity?

Abstract

School meals should encourage a varied and diverse diet, since children may eat up to three meals at school per day. The aim of this study was to assess food variety and dietary diversity among primary school children regarding the number and type of school meals. Dietary records for three non-consecutive days were used to estimate the food variety score (FVS) and dietary diversity score (DDS) of 195 children (52.3% boys) aged 8-9 years from schools in the city of Zagreb. For analysis, children were divided into 5 groups according to the number and type of school meals consumed: non-consumers (23.1%), breakfast consumers (30.3%), lunch consumers (5.6%), breakfast and lunch consumers (13.3%), and breakfast, lunch and snack consumers (27.7%). The children had an average FVS of 14.3 (12.6 - 16.7) and DDS of 5.7 (5.0 - 6.0). The food group with the highest frequency of consumption was starchy staple (99.9% of children), while legumes, seeds, and nuts were consumed least frequently (15.4%). The number and type of school meals were moderately correlated (r = 0.313, p < 0.001) with FVS and weakly (r = 0.230, p = 0.02) with DDS. In addition, children who ate breakfast and lunch or breakfast, lunch, and snack from school meals had significantly higher FVS (p < 0.001) and DDS (p = 0.027) compared to children who ate fewer school meals or ate no school meal. Children (50%) who ate breakfast, lunch, and snacks from school meals were more likely (p = 0.022) to consume dark green leafy vegetables. The number of school meals may affect the food variety and dietary diversity, with children who eat more school meals having better quality. However, the values obtained by the index suggest that both parents and school food services should provide more varied meals in terms of different foods and food groups.