Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 24, 2026
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Food pattern, diet quality, and related characteristics of schoolchildren in New York State
1Division of Nutritional Services, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
Objectives:
To examine the food patterns and diet quality of elementary schoolchildren in New York State (outside of New York City) and to determine sociodemographic characteristics correlated with diet quality.
Design:
A nonquantitative 24-hour recall administered to students and a brief questionnaire completed by parents.
Sample:
1,797 second and fifth graders (51% of those asked) in 51 randomly selected schools (46% of those asked) in New York State outside of New York City.
Statistical Analyses:
Multiple regression analyses, chi 2, and t tests.
Results:
On the day they were surveyed, 40% of students did not eat vegetables, except for potatoes or tomato sauce; 20% did not eat fruit; 36% ate at least four different types of snack foods, and 16% of fifth graders did not eat breakfast. Children who ate a school lunch ate significantly more dairy foods and fruits and vegetables, and fewer snack-foods than those who brought lunch from home. Fifth graders ate significantly more snack foods and were more likely to skip breakfast than second graders; boys had lower food-group pattern scores than girls; children of lower socioeconomic status had less diverse diets but ate less snack foods than children of higher socioeconomic status; children with single parents were more likely to skip breakfast and to eat fewer vegetables than those with two parents; and children with mothers employed outside the home had less diverse diets than those with mothers at home.
Applications/Conclusions:
The findings indicate that nutrition interventions are clearly needed for this age group and that targeted messages should be based on sociodemographic characteristics.
