title: [Nutritional assessment of the menus served in municipal nursery schools in Granada].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The school canteen plays today an essential role in child nutrition and for consolidating appropriate eating habits. In Spain, the guidelines for school meals have been established by the NAOS strategy and the Perseus program, and are especially aimed at school children of 6-10 years. However, there is a lack of information on menus offered in pre-school education centres, which take in children of pre-school age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the composition and the food supplied in pre-schools of the province of Granada.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted on the menus offered in public pre-schools in Granada, with a population of 420 children aged 2-6 years old. A total of 20 menus were analysed, and details were collected including direct information on the ingredients used, the proportion of these in each dish, and the form of preparation. The daily intake of energy and nutrients, as well as the frequency of weekly supply of the different food groups were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average energy content of the menus was 512.5kcal, distributed into protein (17.3%), carbohydrates (48.8%), and lipids (33.9%). A suitable supply of fibre (7.8g/day) was observed, but content of calcium and zinc did not reach recommended levels. The supply of vegetables was adequate, with a daily presence of salad, as well as vegetables, meat, fish and fruit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Menus evaluated represent an adequate content of energy, and proper supply of the different groups of foods, especially vegetables, fruits and salads. A great effort is observed in the centres to adapt meals to nutritional recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología y Bioquímica de la Nutrición Animal, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Armilla, Granada, España. Electronic address: iseiquer@eez.csic.es.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seiquer
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología y Bioquímica de la Nutrición Animal, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Armilla, Granada, España.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada , Granada, España.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cabrera-Vique
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Hoyos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, España.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galdó
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012578:Schools, Nursery; D013030:Spain
keywords: Comedor escolar; Consumo alimentario; Etapa preescolar; Food consumption; Ingestas recomendadas; Menu; Menú; Pre-school; Recommended intakes; School canteen