title: Characterizing lunch meals served and consumed by pre-school children in Head Start.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the variability of food portions served and consumed by African-American and Hispanic-American pre-school children attending Head Start.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food consumption by pre-schoolers (n 796) enrolled in sixteen Head Start centres in Houston, Texas (51 % boys, 42 % African-American, mean age 4 years) were assessed during 3 d of lunch meals using digital photography. Descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models, adjusting for classroom and school clustering effects, were determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Head Start pre-schoolers aged 3–5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean amount served was 2428 kJ (580 kcal) and 572 g. Mean intake was 1421 kJ (339 kcal) and 331 g: 20 % protein, 46 % carbohydrate and 34 % fat. Plate waste was 43 % (range: 38 % (fruit) to 61 % (vegetables)). Mean CV of food served was 29 %: 33 % for entrées, 44 % for vegetables, 60 % for fruit and 76 % for starches. Mean CV of food consumed was 46 %: 58 % for entrées, 86 % for fruit, 96 % for vegetables and 111 % for starches. Total gram amount of food served was positively correlated with consumption (r = 0·43, P < 0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plate waste and variation in amounts served and consumed were substantial; amounts served were associated with amounts consumed. Large portion sizes may contribute to paediatric obesity by promoting excessive intake at meals. Understanding factors influencing portion sizes provides insight about specific intervention strategies that can be used in obesity prevention programmes.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Pediatrics, USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Janice E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Stuff
authors.forename: Jennifer O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: O'Neil
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D006078:Government Programs; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D062409:Lunch; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D064787:Portion Size; D012574:Schools; D013781:Texas