Dietary effects of introducing school meals based on the New Nordic Diet - a randomised controlled trial in Danish children. The OPUS School Meal Study.
The OPUS (Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet (NND)) School Meal Study investigated the effects on the intake of foods and nutrients of introducing school meals based on the principles of the NND covering lunch and all snacks during the school day in a cluster-randomised cross-over design. For two 3-month periods, 834 Danish children aged 8-11 years from forty-six school classes at nine schools received NND school meals or their usual packed lunches brought from home (control) in random order. The whole diet of the children was recorded over seven consecutive days using a validated Web-based Dietary Assessment Software for Children. The NND resulted in higher intakes of potatoes (130 %, 95 % CI 2·07, 2·58), fish (48 %, 95 % CI 1·33, 1·65), cheese (25 %, 95 % CI 1·15, 1·36), vegetables (16 %, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·21), eggs (10 %, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·19) and beverages (6 %, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·09), and lower intakes of bread (13 %, 95 % CI 0·84, 0·89) and fats (6 %, 95 % CI 0·90, 0·98) were found among the children during the NND period than in the control period (all, P< 0·05). No difference was found in mean energy intake (P= 0·4), but on average children reported 0·9 % less energy intake from fat and 0·9 % higher energy intake from protein during the NND period than in the control period. For micronutrient intakes, the largest differences were found for vitamin D (42 %, 95 % CI 1·32, 1·53) and iodine (11 %, 95 % CI 1·08, 1·15) due to the higher fish intake. In conclusion, the present study showed that the overall dietary intake at the food and nutrient levels was improved among children aged 8-11 years when their habitual packed lunches were replaced by school meals following the principles of the NND.
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Rikke
R
Andersen
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Anja
A
Biltoft-Jensen
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Tue
T
Christensen
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
Elisabeth W
EW
Andersen
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Majken
M
Ege
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Anne V
AV
Thorsen
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Stine-Mathilde
SM
Dalskov
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Camilla T
CT
Damsgaard
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Arne
A
Astrup
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Kim F
KF
Michaelsen
Division of Nutrition, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark.
Inge
I
Tetens
D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000032:analysis; D012574:Schools; D014675:Vegetables; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000032:analysis; D044465:White People
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D018977:Micronutrients; D014807:Vitamin D