TRADE-OFFS IN COSTS, DIET QUALITY AND REGIONAL DIVERSITY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF SCHOOL MEALS IN

There is a paucity of studies in the literature regarding the nutrient content and costs of school meals provided across West Africa. Where studies exist, comparative analysis is constrained by inconsistencies in measurements of portion sizes, meal composition and costs. This study reviews the available literature on the nutritional value of school meals in West Africa and reinterprets the meal contributions to the recommended daily intake for the 9-10 year old age group. The nutritional content of school meals from the Ghana School Feeding Programme is then analyzed through a linear modelling analysis of menus obtained from 34 districts in the country. Meal composition and associated nutritional content were constrained by the Government per child budget allocation of GHS 0.40 (USD $0.26) per meal. Prices were compiled from two of Ghana’s major markets including Tamale in the north and Accra in the south. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze regional and seasonal variations with respect to energy, protein, fat, vitamin A and iron content. Adequacy was set at 30 % of daily requirements for the relevant age group. The combined mean nutritional values of meals, using the mea