Who makes a healthier lunch: Mom or school cafeteria?
[2023-06-05 05:13:09]
Researchers compared school lunches of more than 750 schools, provided more than 560 eating out to 3 kindergarten children and kindergarten children, and analyzed the nutritional value for 5 days.
Dr. Alisha Farris, Chief Researcher, says: Virginia Tech candidates
Researchers found that packaged lunches are more fatty than drinks and sugar confectioner than school lunches.
Overall, the whole lunch for take-away contains more calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, vitamin C, iron than the school lunch. Furthermore, according to this study, the content of protein, sodium, fiber, vitamin A, and calcium is less than that of school meals, usually for meals brought in from home.
"There is a spectrum," Faris said. "There are some very healthy take - out lunches, but in general, they are very unhealthy."
This research was published in the November - December issue of Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
According to research background information, about 50 million children go to elementary and junior high schools in the USA every day. Approximately 60% of people eat lunch at school, and 40% have lunch
Researchers used the 2012-2013 National School Lunch Program Standard as a guide to analyze the nutritional content of lunch.
Researchers found that school lunches average about 512 calories and packaged foods are about 608 calories. The protein content of school lunch is about 26 grams, but for lunch it is 18 grams.
Researchers also discovered that lunch packs are less likely to ingest fruits, vegetables, sugar free juice, and milk than school lunches.
Faris discovered that the sodium content of the school lunch is more than the packaging, probably for the food of the main course of school meals. The school lunch includes about 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium; about 880 mg for pack feeding
Researchers pointed out that school meal standards will gradually incorporate new sodium standards into the guidelines for 2014 to 2015.
According to Mr. Farris, one of the limitations of this study is that actual consumption is not measured and only observations on the contents of lunch are.
For Konny Dickman, College of Nutrition at the University of Washington in St. Louis, this discovery is not surprising. "The results of this study are similar to other studies and show good effect of school meals," she said.
"Surprisingly, the higher the sodium content of the school meal, the more school meal nutrients - more fibers, vitamin A, and less sugar and saturated fat - will make the [nutrition] value for school meals better "Dickman said
Dickman worked at the school district health committee and went to school to see the school lunch program. She said that letting the children participate in the plan can help improve the choice of children 's food.
Farris has these secrets for parents who want to pack lunch for their children. "Including fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy products," she said. "Stuff sandwiches, let's add apples and carrots." She said that dairy products should be chosen for their children like yoghurt, milk, cheese, etc. and put cold drinks to make it cold.
In the new study, we compare the lunch the students eat at school. I saw the lunch that the student brought home and the lunch I bought at the school canteen. Surprisingly, this survey found that, on average, school lunch was healthier than take home lunch. Researchers observed 337 children in Houston. They saw the children have lunch everyday. The students are elementary and junior high school. Researchers discovered that lunch boxes do not contain enough vegetables, fruits, meat, whole grains. They contain too much salt, soda and dessert. School cafeterias must comply with certain health rules. These guidelines explain the amount of each food included in the cafeteria lunch. The rules ensure that school meals are healthy. However, family lunch is not prepared.
Do not judge school lunch so early. In some studies, we compa