Nutritional composition of school meals serving children from 7 to 36 months of age in municipal day-care centres in the metropolitan area of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
The Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE) seeks to meet student's nutritional needs during the period they remain in school. This study aimed to determine the nutritional composition of meals provided in municipal day-care centres serving children of 7-11 months (group A) and 12-36 months (group B) of age and to compare observed values with the PNAE's and dietary reference intakes' (DRI) recommendations. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 4 day-care centres in the metropolitan area of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, between June and November 2013. Food samples of six daily meals were collected during 20 non-consecutive days, totalling 120 samples. For each meal, average served and consumed portions were submitted for laboratory analysis of moisture, ash, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, Na, Ca and Fe and compared with the PNAE's and DRI's values. No statistically significant difference was found between age groups (P=0·793) regarding portion sizes and nutritional composition. The same menu was offered to both groups in 95 % of the meals (n 114), although the groups' nutritional needs were different. For group A, served meals met PNAE's recommendations for energy, carbohydrates, proteins, Na and Ca content, and consumed portions provided 70 % of the nutritional needs for carbohydrates, proteins and Ca. For group B, served portions complied with the PNAE's values for proteins, Na and Ca. Proteins and Na reached 70 % of the nutritional needs when consumed food was evaluated. School feeding in day-care centres partially meet PNAE's guidelines and children's nutritional requirements, contradicting the primary objective established by the national programme.
1Graduate Program of Food and Nutrition Safety,Health Sciences Sector,Federal University of Paraná,Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner,632,Botanical Garden,80.210-170Curitiba,Paraná,Brazil.
Anabelle
0000-0002-8809-5627
A
Retondario
2Department of Nutrition,Health Sciences Sector,Federal University of Paraná,Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner,632,Botanical Garden,80.210-170Curitiba,Paraná,Brazil.
Débora Letícia Frizzi
DL
Silva
3Graduate Program of Nutrition,Health Sciences Center,Federal University of Pernambuco,Av. Prof. Moraes Rego,s/n,University City,50.670-901Recife,Pernambuco,Brazil.
Silvana Magalhães
SM
Salgado
4Department of Nutrition,Graduate Program of Food and Nutrition Security,Health Sciences Sector,Federal University of Paraná,Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner,632,Botanical Garden,80.210-170 Curitiba,Paraná,Brazil.
Márcia Aurelina de Oliveira
MA
Alves
4Department of Nutrition,Graduate Program of Food and Nutrition Security,Health Sciences Sector,Federal University of Paraná,Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner,632,Botanical Garden,80.210-170 Curitiba,Paraná,Brazil.
Sila Mary Rodrigues
SM
Ferreira
D001938:Brazil; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009753:Nutritive Value; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012574:Schools; D012964:Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014505:Urban Population
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium
Child day-care centres; DRI dietary reference intakes; Food analyses; PNAE National School Feeding Program; RDA; School feeding