title: School meals and policy on promoting healthy eating in schools in Poland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to diagnose the situation regarding the infrastructure, organization of school meals, the kind of products available for students at school and the school policy on the promotion of healthy eating in the context of the increasing frequency of obesity among children and young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research tool was the questionnaire "School environment and health", including a section on the facilities, organization of meals and the school's policy on healthy eating. It made use of the questions from the international HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) school questionnaire. The anonymous questionnaire was sent out by post and was returned by 520 head masters of primary, lower-secondary and cluster schools. This means that 74.3% of the randomly chosen sample of schools responded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 2/3 of the schools had a canteen and a school store. Hot meals were served in 84% of the schools but only in 28% of them to more than 50% of the students. School breakfast was organized by half of the schools of which 23% had it in all the classes. Almost all the schools served free meals for students with special needs. Most schools, particularly lower-secondary provided access to sweets, sweet drinks and salty snacks. Only 7-25% of schools have a written policy on limiting such products and increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk and whole-grain bread products. In on going national programmes: "A Glass of Milk" had a 74% participation rate (only 25% of the lower-secondary schools) and "Fruits in School" 38% (6% lower-secondary schools). The "Keep Fit" educational programme was implemented in 28% of primary schools and in 72% of lower-secondary schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of schools in Poland still do not appreciate the need for all students to eat a meal in school and have not become involved in prophylactic activities designed to prevent obesity. The undertaken activities are incoherent. There is a need to create a policy on healthy nutrition at school at the national, regional, local and school level.
authors: Department of Biomedical and Psychological Basis of Education, Warsaw University, Warsaw. barwoy@pedagog.uw.edu.pl
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Woynarowska
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Małkowska-Szkutnik
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Mazur
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Kowalewska
authors: Krystyna
authors: K
authors: Komosińska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005522:Food Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005638:Fruit; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008612:Menu Planning; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins