Quality Assessment of Meals in Preschool Institutions in Zagreb

Cilj ovog rada bio je procijeniti u kojoj mjeri dječji vrtići prate smjernice programa planiranja prehrane djece u dječjim vrtićima, i to u vremenu od 3 uzastopna tjedna, za 1 gradski i 1 privatni vrtić. Za gradski vrtić dobiven je jelovnik s detaljnim prikazom makronutrijenata i energije za svaki pojedini dan, te su analizirani navedene podatke. Za privatni vrtić nisu dobiveni podaci, stoga su u periodu od 3 tjedna mjereni (vagani) pojedini obroci i na temelju njihova sastava dobiveni su podaci koji su analizirani. Promatrani podaci odnose se na vrtićku skupinu 4-6 godina, koja u vrtiću boravi u programu 10-satnog dnevnog boravka i planom je preporučeno da u 4 obroka u vrtiću unesu 75% ukupnih dnevnih potreba za energijom (1200 kcal) kao i 75% ukupnog unosa pojedinih makronutrijenata. Rezultati gradskog dječjeg vrtića s tek zanemarivim odstupanjima po pitanju unosa energije, kao i makronutrijenata, drže se smjernica, iako rezultat treba uzeti s dozom rezerve jer se ipak radi o podacima pruženim od strane samog vrtića. Rezultati privatnog vrtića, dobiveni vaganjem pojedinih obroka značajno odstupaju od zadanih smjernica, pa tako gotov svakodnevno (11 od 15 dana) nailazimo na prenizak unos bjelančevina, 9 od 15 promatranih dana previsok je unos masti, i iako je u prosijeku unos energija unutar preporuke, u 3 od promatranih 15 dana unos energije prekoračen je između 10 i 13%. Isto tako, na jelovniku gradskog vrtića nalaze se kvalitetnije namirnice kao i zadovoljavajući omjeri izvora visokovrijednih bjelančevina. U privatnom vrtiću nedostaje visokovrijednih bjelančevina, te se na jelovniku nalaze diskutabilne namirnice poput hrenovki, krafni, čokolina i slično. Za poboljšanje uvjeta prehrane u dječjim vrtićima na korist djece, potrebno je uvesti nezavisne kontrole privatnih vrtića, koji često zbog profita poslužuju manje kvalitetnu hranu, često višeg stupnja industrijske obrade koja je jeftinija ali nutritivno bezvrijedna. Isto tako nužna je edukacija roditelja, koji također uvelike utječu na prehranu djece u vremenu koje provode zajedno, i bez obzira na kvalitetu prehrane u vrtiću, djetetovo zdravlje lako je ugroziti pružajući mu svakodnevan izvor nekvalitetne prehrane. Promatrana su još 2 gradska i 2 privatna vrtića na temelju namirnica sadržanim u jelovniku (bez analize energije i makronutrijenata) i došlo je do istih zaključaka. U privatnim vrtićima, općenito se poslužuju namirnice slabije kvalitete no u gradskim.The aim of this thesis is to estimate in what degree kindergartens follow guidelines for meals planning for children, and it was evaluated in the period of three weeks, for one city kindergarten and for one private kindergarten. We got the menu from the city kindergarten with detailed overview of macronutrients and energy for every single day, so we analyzed given information. We could not get any information for the private kindergarten so we, during the three weeks, measured (scaled) each individual meal and on the base of their ingredients we got the information that we analyzed. Analyzed reports are made for the group of children from 4 – 5 years old, that stay in kindergarten for 10 hours approximately, and it is suggested by the plan to have 4 meals in kindergarten and to intake 75% of overall daily needs for energy (1200kcal) as well as 75% of total intake of certain macronutrients. Results of the city kindergarten slightly differ in the energy and macronutrient intake, but they stick to guideline, although the result should be taken with the certain doze of cautious, because it is based on facts that the kindergarten gave to us. Results of the private kindergarten, got by scaling certain meals, differ a lot from the given guideline, so almost every day (11 from 15 days), we could find too low intake of proteins. From 9 of 15 overviewed days it was too high intake of fats and although, in average, the intake of energy is in the range of suggested, in 3 of 15 days, the intake of energy is exceeded between 10 and 13 %. Also, in the city kindergarten's menu there are more quality food and more satisfactory proportion of high quality source of proteins. In the private kindergarten, high quality of proteins is absent and in the menu we could find unhealthy food like sausages, doughnuts, čokolino and similar food. For improving diet in kindergartens, for children benefit, it is necessary to form independent controls of private kindergartens, which often serves less quality food, usually with higher level of industrial processing food that is cheaper but nutritive worthless, and all that because of the profit. Also it is necessary to educate parents who have a lot of influence to children's diet to teach their children about healthy food in the time they spend together, because no matter on kindergarten's diet quality , children health is easy to endanger, offering them every day source of non-quality food. We overviewed two more public and two more private kindergartens on the base of food from the menu (without analyzing of energy and macronutrients) and found out the same results. In private kindergartens, generally, food that is served has less quality than in public kindergartens