Nutr Res Pract.  2010 Dec;4(6):515-521.

Diet of children under the government-funded meal support program in Korea

• Kwon S
• Lee K
• Yoon J

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diet of children under the government-funded meal support program. The 143 children (67 boys and 76 girls) participated in this study among 4th-6th elementary school students receiving free lunches during the summer vacation of 2007 and living in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea. The subjects consisted of four groups supported by Meal Box Delivery (n = 26), Institutional Foodservice (n = 53), Restaurant Foodservice (n = 27), or Food Delivery (n = 37). A three-day 24-hour dietary recall and a self-administered survey were conducted. In addition, the children's heights and weights were measured. The average energy intake of the children was 1,400 kcal per day, much lower than the Estimated Energy Requirements of the pertinent age groups. The results also showed inadequate intake of all examined nutrients; of particular concern was the extremely low intake of calcium. On average, the children consumed eight dishes and 25 food items per day. The children supported by Meal Box Delivery consumed more various dishes and food items than the other groups. The percentage of children preferring their current meal support method was the highest in those supported by Meal Box Delivery and the lowest in those supported by Food Delivery. We requested 15 children among the 143 children participating in the survey to draw the scene of their lunch time. The drawings of the children supported by Institutional Foodservice showed more positive scenes than the other groups, especially in terms of human aspects. In conclusion, the overall diet of children under the government-funded meal support program was nutritionally inadequate, although the magnitude of the problems tended to differ by the meal support method. The results could be utilized as basic data for policy and programs regarding the government-funded meal support program for children from low-income families.

Keyword

Children from low-income families; meal support program; nutritional adequacy; food variety; drawing

MeSH Terms

Calcium
Child
Diet
Energy Intake
Humans
Korea
Lunch
Meals
Restaurants
Weights and Measures
Calcium

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Percentages of children with inadequate daily intakes of nutrients1) (Unit: %) 1)Energy were analyzed which were less that the Estimated Energy Requirements were pertinent to the groups' gender, age, height, weight and physical activity. The other nutrients were analyzed which were less that the Estimated Average Requirements were pertinent to the groups' gender, age. ** The mean values were significantly different among groups between inadequate and adequate children by Chi-square test at α = 0.01.

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  Fig. 2 Energy and nutrient intakes at lunch as percentage of Estimated Energy Requirements and Recommended Intakes (Unit: %) 1)The number was 142, one less than the number in the result of daily intake, because one child supported by Food Delivery had not eaten lunch at all during the data collection period. *, **, *** The mean values were significantly different among groups by ANOVA at α = 0.05, α = 0.01, α = 0.001 respectively. abcDifferent superscript letters in the same nutrient mean significant difference among groups by Duncan's multiple range test at α = 0.05.

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  Fig. 3 Examples of children's drawing of lunch time scene

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