[Nutricional adequacy of students of compulsory secondary education in Badajoz]

To evaluate nutricional adequacy of students of compulsory secondary education (ESO) in Badajoz, Spain.

We included 1197 students of ESO from 12 to 18 years old, 49.9% male and 50.1% female, which is a representative sample of this population. They filled in a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) self-administered and previously validated in a pilot study. Nutrients were quantified from FFQ with a food composition table (Novartis, 2004) and nutritional Adequacy Index (AI) was calculated according to Spanish Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Nutritional adequacy of a nutrient was measured by the following relation: mean daily intake of the nutrient / RDA of that nutrient * 100.

Average caloric intake of secondary education students is not very high, protein AI is over 200%, and cholesterol over 150%, being appropriate the intake of carbohydrates and lipids. The intake of fiber, vitamin E and iodine was lower than 50% in both genders; the one of iron less than 90% in females and there were no other differences between both genders. Only 1% to 3% of students reach RDA of fiber, iodine and vitamin E, and 37.3% of female reach RDA of iron. Cholesterol dietary intake of 17.2% males and 25.3% females is high, and saturated fatty acids intake is high in 46.1% males and 50.0% females.

Diet of students of secondary education in Badajoz is normocaloric, hyperproteic, appropriate in carbohydrates and lipids, without differences between genders; it is very deficient in fiber, iodine and vitamin E in both genders and deficient in iron in females. We can see their diet is far from Mediterranean diet, and this is why education plans about food intake are advised to the students and their families.