Dietary analysis of meals served in the breakfast and lunch programs of Puerto Rican schools.
BACKGROUND
Nutritional analysis of meals in the Federally-sponsored Breakfast and Lunch Programs in Stateside Schools has recently been completed. However due to ethnic and cultural differences, the findings may not be directly applicable to similar nutrition programs in Puerto Rico. It is our aim to carry out an analysis of meals served in Federal programs in Puerto Rico and to compare results to the stateside study.


METHODS
Twenty eight different breakfast meals and 96 different lunch meals being cycled in elementary, middle and secondary schools throughout the entire island of Puerto Rico were analyzed for content using the Minnesota Nutrition Data System 32 and compared with: 1) compliance to meal pattern requirements of federal programs, 2) dietary guidelines for Americans (DG) and 3) recommended dietary allowances (RDA's).


RESULTS
Breakfasts and lunches served in Puerto Rican Schools satisfy federal meal pattern requirements however most frequently offered foods different from programs in the mainland, reflecting ethnic and cultural food preferences. In terms of DG's adequate protein was present, cholesterol content was satisfactory but meals had excess percent energy from fat as well as excess energy from saturated fat, high sodium and a lower than recommended level of energy from carbohydrate. In terms of RDA's meals had prescribed levels of vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin C, calcium, folacin, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Below prescribed levels included vitamin B6, copper, vitamin E, energy, fiber, iron, niacin and zinc.


CONCLUSIONS
While differences in food preferences exist between foods available in the Breakfast and Lunch Programs in Puerto Rican and U.S., schools, they have similar strengths and weaknesses when compared to compliance with U.S. Dietary Guidelines and with recommended dietary allowances.
Preston
A M
AM
Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936-5067.
Rodríguez
C
C
Gómez Flores
I M
IM
D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005006:Ethnicity; D005518:Food Preferences; D006078:Government Programs; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012574:Schools