Where Should We Eat? Lunch Source and Dietary Measures Among Youth During the School Week

To examine lunch sources during the school week among students and the associations with fruits and vegetable (F&V) and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption.

Students (n = 23 680) from 43 Ontario, Canada, secondary schools completed a health behaviour survey in the Year 1 COMPASS study. Analysis used generalized linear mixed effects models.

The most frequently reported lunch source was home (2.9 days per school week), then the school cafeteria (1.1) and fast-food places or restaurants (FFRs) (0.9). Eating a home lunch was associated with having less spending money, white ethnicity, and females; whereas cafeteria lunch was associated with more spending money, lower school grade, and females. A FFR lunch was associated with males, more spending money, and higher physical activity. Greater frequency of a home lunch was associated with greater F&V consumption. Greater frequency of a FFR lunch was associated with more frequent SSB consumption. Cafeteria lunches were associated with increases in both SSB and F&V.

Eating a lunch obtained from outside of the home is a regular behaviour among students. Sources of school-week lunches may have an important influence on dietary intake among youth. These findings reinforce the need for strategies to promote healthier lunch sources and healthier food options.