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Dietary intakes of students
B L Devaney1, A R Gordon, J A Burghardt
1Mathematica Policy Research Inc., Plainsboro, NJ 08536.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 1, 1995
Summary
US students generally meet vitamin and mineral recommendations but consume excess calories, protein, fat, and sodium. School meal programs show similar trends, with participants exceeding recommendations for certain unhealthy nutrients.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Student dietary habits are crucial for long-term health.
- Understanding nutrient intake patterns is essential for developing effective health interventions.
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) aim to provide nutritious meals to students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the dietary intakes of US students using national data.
- To assess whether students' nutrient consumption meets Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs).
- To evaluate the nutritional quality of meals provided by the NSLP and SBP.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 24-hour dietary recall data from a nationally representative sample of ~3350 students.
- Analyzed average daily intakes of food energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients.
- Compared student intakes against established RDAs and program-specific goals.
Main Results:
- Most students consume adequate vitamins and minerals, meeting RDAs.
- Students generally exceed recommended intakes for food energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
- NSLP and SBP participants' meals meet some nutrient goals but also exceed recommendations for fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
Conclusions:
- While micronutrient intake is generally adequate, US students' diets are often high in energy and unhealthy fats.
- School meal programs contribute to nutrient intake but require improvements to align with health recommendations.
- Addressing excess calorie and unhealthy fat consumption is critical for student health.