title: School nutrition survey.
abstract: Food we eat has an important influence on health and well-being. Many eating habits are established in childhood. 456 children aged eight to 12 years participated in this survey of food eaten at school. Of all the food items eaten as a snack, 48.6% were categorised as junk. 75.8% of the sandwiches brought to school for lunch were made with white bread. Of the remaining food items brought for lunch 63.5% were of the junk variety. Compared with those who brought a snack or lunch from home, those given money to buy their own were more likely to eat junk (p < 0.01). Food eaten at school reflects approximately one third of a child's daily food intake but health food practises for even a third of food intake may be of a value for health and long term eating habits. Nutritional education with the reinforcement of high nutritional standards in schools could improve the situation.
authors.affiliation: Community Care, Mullingar Co Westmeath.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiely
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulvihill
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bollard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012574:Schools