Short communicationKey differences between school lunches and packed lunches in primary schools in England in 2009

Pearce, Jo; Harper, Charles L.; Haroun, Dalia; Wood, Lesley; Nelson, Michael

doi:10.1017/s1368980010003605

Cited by 25 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The finding that packed lunches contained more fat, saturated fat, sodium and NMES than school lunch confirms the findings of previous studies [20],[30]–[33]. This study, along with others, [19], [32], [33] provides some evidence of the potential advantages of planned, nutrient-based lunch provision compared with home-prepared packed lunches. Our findings on total diet are similar to those of the NDNS [34] and show some improvements in children’s nutrient intake over recent years.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The Impact of Food and Nutrient-Based Standards on Primary School Children’s Lunch and Total Dietary Intake: A Natural Experimental Evaluation of Government Policy in England

et al. 2013

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In 2005, the nutritional content of children’s school lunches in England was widely criticised, leading to a major policy change in 2006. Food and nutrient-based standards were reintroduced requiring primary schools to comply by September 2008. We aimed to determine the effect of the policy on the nutritional content at lunchtime and in children’s total diet. We undertook a natural experimental evaluation, analysing data from cross-sectional surveys in 12 primary schools in North East England, pre and post policy. Dietary data were collected on four consecutive days from children aged 4–7 years (n = 385 in 2003–4; n = 632 in 2008–9). We used linear mixed effect models to analyse the effects of gender, year, and lunch type on children’s mean total daily intake. Both pre- and post-implementation, children who ate a school lunch consumed less sodium (mean change −128 mg, 95% CI: −183 to −73 mg) in their total diet than children eating home-packed lunches. Post-implementation, children eating school lunches consumed a lower % energy from fat (−1.8%, −2.8 to −0.9) and saturated fat (−1.0%; −1.6 to −0.5) than children eating packed lunches. Children eating school lunches post implementation consumed significantly more carbohydrate (16.4 g, 5.3 to 27.6), protein (3.6 g, 1.1 to 6.0), non-starch polysaccharides (1.5 g, 0.5 to 1.9), vitamin C (0.7 mg, 0.6 to 0.8), and folate (12.3 µg, 9.7 to 20.4) in their total diet than children eating packed lunches. Implementation of school food policy standards was associated with significant improvements in the nutritional content of school lunches; this was reflected in children’s total diet. School food- and nutrient-based standards can play an important role in promoting dietary health and may contribute to tackling childhood obesity. Similar policy measures should be considered for other environments influencing children’s diet.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The Impact of Food and Nutrient-Based Standards on Primary School Children’s Lunch and Total Dietary Intake: A Natural Experimental Evaluation of Government Policy in England

et al. 2013

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“…There is evidence to suggest that legislation to improve the nutritional content of school lunches has been effective overall [22-24,45,46]. However, this is the first study to examine whether the changes following the 2008 legislation introducing nutritional standards for school lunches in English primary schools had a similar impact on children’s diets across levels of deprivation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A repeat cross-sectional study examining the equitable impact of nutritional standards for school lunches in England in 2008 on the diets of 4-7y olds across the socio-economic spectrum

Spence

Matthews

White

et al. 2014

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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BackgroundThe 2008 nutritional standards for primary school lunch in England improved nutritional content. The impact on socio-economic inequalities is unknown. We examine the impact of the nutritional standards on children’s nutrient intake at lunchtime and in total diet by level of deprivation.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional studies in 12 English primary schools before and after legislation. Dietary intake was recorded for 4-7y olds using a validated, prospective four-day food diary. Socio-economic status was estimated using the Index of Multiple Deprivation; three groups of approximately equal sizes were created. Linear, mixed-effect models explored the effect of year, lunch type (school or home-packed lunch), level of deprivation and the interaction(s) between these factors on children’s diets.Results368 and 624 children participated in 2003–4 and 2008–9 respectively. At lunchtime, between 2003–4 and 2008–9, the increase in non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) intake was larger in the least compared to the most deprived group (difference in mean change 0.8 mg; 95% CI 0.4, 1.3). There were similar differences in mean changes for iron (0.3 mg; 0.2, 0.4) and zinc (0.3 mg; 0.1, 0.5). In total diet, differential effects were observed for NSP, iron and zinc; we found no evidence these changes were associated with lunch type. Lunch type was associated with changes in per cent energy from non-milk-extrinsic sugars (NMES) and vitamin C. Per cent energy from NMES was lower and vitamin C intake higher in school lunches in 2008–9 compared with 2003–4. The corresponding differences in home-packed lunches were not as marked and there were subtle but statistically significant effects of the level of deprivation.ConclusionsBy 2008–9, NMES at lunchtime and in total diet was lower for children consuming a school lunch; this change was equitable across the deprivation groups. Vitamin C intake increased more for children in the most deprived group, narrowing the socio-economic inequality. A range of significant differential effects of the nutritional standards were observed and important socio-economic inequalities in dietary intake remain. Additional interventions to promote equitable nutrition in children are needed to support legislative measures and maximise their impact.

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“…In contrast to lunch and other food provided by schools, for which clear guidelines exist, there are no official guidelines for packed lunches brought to school from home. While some primary schools have introduced packed lunch policies to support healthier eating and offer clear guidance and an opportunity to improve food consumed by all pupils, there is little evidence of their effectiveness (School Food Trust 2009), and school lunches generally remain the healthier option (Pearce et al . 2011).…”

Section: Food Provision In Schoolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition, health and schoolchildren

Weichselbaum

Buttriss

2011

Nutrition Bulletin

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1 Nutritional requirements of schoolchildren 2 Findings of the National Diet and Nutrition Surveys 3 Physical activity in schoolchildren 4 Nutrition, physical activity and health in childhood ᭺ 4.1 Overweight and obesity ᭺ 4.2 Cardiovascular risk factors ᭺ 4.3 Iron deficiency anaemia ᭺ 4.4 Oral health ᭺ 4.5 Bone development ᭺ 4.6 Food allergy and intolerance ᭺ 4.7 Mental health 5 Factors affecting food choice 6 Food provision in school 7 Food in the curriculum 8 Promoting healthy lifestyles in children • Acknowledgements • References SummaryHealthy eating and being physically active are particularly important for children and adolescents. This is because their nutrition and lifestyle influence their wellbeing, growth and development. The nutritional requirements of children and adolescents are high in relation to their size because of the demands for growth, in addition to requirements for body maintenance and physical activity. Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS) show that the contribution of protein to food energy intake has increased between 1997 and 2008/2009 in both boys and girls aged 4-to-18-years. The contribution of fat to food energy intake has decreased in boys and girls aged 4-to-10-years, and in boys aged 11-to-18-years; saturated fatty acid intakes have decreased in boys and girls of both age groups. A decrease in the contribution of non-milk extrinsic sugars to food energy has been found in the younger age group, whereas it has hardly changed in the older age group. The most recent NDNS data (Year 1 of the NDNS Rolling Programme) on micronutrient intake showed that low intakes of almost all minerals and vitamin A in boys and girls in the older age group, and also of riboflavin and folate in girls in the older

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Short communicationKey differences between school lunches and packed lunches in primary schools in England in 2009

Cited by 25 publications

References 5 publications

The Impact of Food and Nutrient-Based Standards on Primary School Children’s Lunch and Total Dietary Intake: A Natural Experimental Evaluation of Government Policy in England

The Impact of Food and Nutrient-Based Standards on Primary School Children’s Lunch and Total Dietary Intake: A Natural Experimental Evaluation of Government Policy in England

A repeat cross-sectional study examining the equitable impact of nutritional standards for school lunches in England in 2008 on the diets of 4-7y olds across the socio-economic spectrum

Nutrition, health and schoolchildren

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