Assessment and optimization of the nutritional situation in Croatian boarding schools

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional quality of the food supply in Croatian boarding schools and to provide suggestions aimed at its improvement. The work is based on a nutritional survey and nutrition optimization. The survey assessed the food supply in female, male and co‐educational boarding schools in Zagreb, Croatia. Particularly, the diets of students aged 15–19 years were investigated and the relationship between students’ anthropometric measurements and the supply of energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates was analysed. Based on the survey results, nutrition optimization was applied to determine diets meeting the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of selected nutrients at least cost. The survey showed that the diets provided in Croatian boarding schools are generally characterized by an oversupply of energy and fat to female pupils and an undersupply of many micronutrients to pupils of both genders. This seems to promote the development of obesity in female students. Furthermore, it could be shown by means of nutrition optimization that the nutritional situation in the boarding schools could easily be improved by a reasonable selection and combination of dishes that would also lead to a reduction of food costs. Menu planning by means of nutrition optimization could help to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply in Croatian boarding schools and simultaneously decrease the corresponding food costs.

Statistical modelling of anthropometric characteristics evaluated on nutritional status

“…A simple model with energy as the only input variable and a complex or nutritional model with intakes of protein, fats and carbohydrates as the input variables are proposed. In order to detect synergy effect of nutrients in the non-linear model products of intakes, as the input variables are included [2]. In view of possible development of dependencies of anthropological characteristics on duration of specific diet in boarding schools the proposed models are evaluated for each generation, and separately for female and male students.…”

“…Minimised is the variance 2 σ defined by the error In Eq. ( 4) elements of matrix X are experimental values of regressed data and a is the vector of parameters in the model (1,2). The minimum is obtained for the parameter values given by:…”

“…Scientific approach to analysis and programming of nutritional practice in organised institutions, such as boarding schools, should provide a critical evaluation of quality of nutrition and comparison with RDA recommendations, and the experimental determination of anthropometric characteristics enables quantitative analysis of physical status [1][2][3][4]. In this work experimental result of nutritional assessments for female and male population of pupils in secondary boarding schools in Croatia, and modelling results of dependencies of anthropometric variables on daily intake of energy, proteins, carbohydrates and fat contents in food, are reported.…”