Abstract
This article aims to evaluate the quality of Brazilian school meal menus. Cross-sectional study that analyzed 2,500 menus of 500 Brazilian municipalities. The menus were evaluated based on the Quality Index for School Meal Menus (IQCAE - Indicador de Qualidade para Cardápios da Alimentação Escolar). The data were submitted to descriptive analysis. We found that 29,4% of menus presented high quality; 50,6%, regular quality; and 20%, low quality. Grains and tubers (86%) and Meat and eggs (67%) were the groups most found in menus, followed by Legumes (42,16%), Vegetables (40%), Fruits (35,56%), and Dairy products (18,6%); the frequency of Cured meats and sausages (8,68%) and Sweets as meals (3,64%) was lower. Among other components, 84,6% of the menus offered Sweets as dessert in none or one day a week; ultra-processed foods appear in 65,6% of menus at least once a week. In 22% of the menus, meal time was compatible with type meal served. Important food for child nutrition, such as dairy, vegetables, and fruits, are not regularly provided by school meals. Despite the advances in policy management, the presence of ultra-processed foods at least once a week is still frequent in the menus.
Highlights
MethodsThe monitoring of the quality of school meal menus can be understood as a Food and Nutritional Security strategy when considering the school an environment that promotes healthy habits[1], built from positive food experiences and by food education activities[2].The National School Feeding Program (PNAE - Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar) is the largest and oldest food and nutrition program in Brazil, and meets about 50 million people, who receive at least one meal a day[3].Since 1994, the management of school meals has been decentralized to states and municipalities, which enables the provision of a quality meal by concentrating funds in the cities, encouraging the acquisition from local producers, with fresher and regional foods[1,4]
Given the magnitude and coverage of PNAE, this study aims to evaluate the quality of the menus served in Brazilian municipalities, which competed for the Efficient Manager of School Feeding Award (PGEME) in 2011
There is no published nationwide study evaluating the quality of school meal menus, despite the importance and scope of PNAE, which meets 50 million Brazilians in 200 days of the year and moved, in 2015, about 3,8 billion reals[3]
Summary
MethodsThe monitoring of the quality of school meal menus can be understood as a Food and Nutritional Security strategy when considering the school an environment that promotes healthy habits[1], built from positive food experiences and by food education activities[2].The National School Feeding Program (PNAE - Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar) is the largest and oldest food and nutrition program in Brazil, and meets about 50 million people, who receive at least one meal a day[3].Since 1994, the management of school meals has been decentralized to states and municipalities, which enables the provision of a quality meal by concentrating funds in the cities, encouraging the acquisition from local producers, with fresher and regional foods[1,4]. Brazil has few and located research in this field; studies using the method Qualitative Evaluation of Menu Meals are available in three municipalities[6,7,8,9]; in Santa Catarina, the Qualitative Evaluation of School Meal Menu was used in a statewide study[10]; in Rio de Janeiro, the Evaluation of Nutritional and Sensory Quality was used to evaluate protein meals in two schools[11]; and, in Belo Horizonte, an analysis by direct weighing of food was conducted in 42 schools[12] In addition to these findings, studies on the compliance with Resolution no. In addition to these findings, studies on the compliance with Resolution no. 38 of 2009, conducted in two capitals[13], and on the presence of regional preparations, nationwide[14], are available
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