Nutritional Value of School Meals and their Acceptability

• Autor(a) principal: Matihara, Celso Hideki
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Trevisani, Thatiana Santos, Garutti, Selson
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde e Pesquisa (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unicesumar.edu.br/index.php/saudpesq/article/view/1230
• topic: School Meals; Nutritional Values; Acceptability.; Merenda Escolar; Valor Nutricional; Aceitação.

A research was undertaken with 104 students of the third and fourth grades of a primary school in Maringá PR Brazil to analyze the nutritional value and the acceptance of meals furnished by government schools. The students registered on cards their satisfaction level with regard to school meals and results were statistically analyzed by the proportion test. Calories and macro-nutrients were evaluated for the nutritional values of meals according to the paradigms of the Brazilian Program of School Meals in the case of calories and proteins and according to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) in the case of carbohydrates and lipids. Mean rates for calories and carbohydrates were as expected, whereas protein means were above and lipids were below recommendations. Meals with highest satisfaction consisted of bread with hamburger and milk (87%); spaghetti with chicken and vegetables (69%); rice, meat and potatoes (66%); spaghetti soup with meat and tomatoes (59%); spaghetti soup with meat, manioc and milk (59%) and rice, beans and meat (56%). Results show that the nutritional value of school meals fits the calorie level and features high in proteins. Carbohydrates are adequate although lipids are below the recommended rate.