Adolescents' Nutrient Intake Determined by Plate Waste at School Food Services

Lee, Kyung Eun

Abstract

The purposes of the study were to analyze nutrients of the menus served and to evaluate students' nutrient consumption at school food services. Three middle schools (boys, girls, and co-ed schools) were located in Seoul and Kyunggi Province. A weighed plate method was employed to measure plate wastes and consumption of the menus served. Data was collected for 3 consecutive days at each school. Nutrient analyses for the served and consumed menus were performed using CAN-PRO. On average the students consumed 67% of the menus they were served. By menu category, the students consumed more than 90% of the rice and one-dish foods they were served. Kimchis (54%) and soups/stews (55%) were the menu categories with the lowest consumption rates. The menus served at the boys and coed schools did not meet 1/3 of the recommended daily allowances (RDA) for calcium, iron, and vitamin B2. Due to the plate wastes, the actual consumption of the boys school students did not meet the 1/3 RDA for calories, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin. The menus served at the girls school exceeded the 1/3 RDA for all nutrients, but the actual consumption did not meet the 1/3 RDA for calcium, iron, and vitamin B2. During the 3-day periods, the served and consumed menus provided 27% and 24% of energy from fat, which exceeded the recommended proportion of 20%. To improve nutrition management at school food services, dietitians should understand factors that influence students' consumption and implement nutrition education programs that emphasize balanced diets.