School meals for pre-school and school children: age, gender, nutritional status and maternal food choice

Cross-sectional study conducted with 374 children aged 05-10 years and their mothers, to evaluate the choice of school meal. Children’s anthropometry (weight and height) and questionnaire were held in the school, while mother’s data were filled out at home. The maternal nutritional status was performed by BMI, and the children used the Z score of BMI both according to WHO. The definitions of permitted and forbidden foods were used to evaluate the quality and choice of lunch from home or at the school canteen. Statistical analysis done were the Fisher exact test, Student t test and analysis of residuals. This study showed that 94.1% of children took a meal from the home, but 73.3% bought lunch at school canteen. Students took longer allowed foods (86.6%) of the meals from home, but ate more forbidden foods (76.7%) in snacks from the school canteen. The mothers chose significantly (p <0.005) permitted food for more food meals for their children.Estudo transversal com 374 alunos, com idade de 5 a 10 anos e suas mães, para avaliar a escolha de lanches escolares. Realizaram-se na escola questionário e antropometria (peso e estatura) das crianças; as mães preencheram um questionário no domicílio. A classificação nutricional materna foi realizada pelo IMC e para as crianças o escore Z do IMC, ambos de acordo com a OMS. As definições de alimentos proibidos e permitidos foram utilizadas para avaliar a escolha dos lanches oriundos do domicílio ou da cantina escolar. As análises estatísticas realizadas foram o teste exato de Fisher, teste t de Student e a análise de resíduo. Este estudo demonstrou que 94,1% das crianças consumiam lanche proveniente do domicílio e 73,3% também compravam na cantina escolar. Os alunos consumiam mais alimentos permitidos (86,6%) nos lanches oriundos do domicilio, e os comprados na cantina escolar eram mais alimentos proibidos (76,7). As mães escolhiam significantemente (p