title: Students' Food Intake from Home-Packed Lunches in the Traditional versus Balanced School Day.
abstract: To assess the type and quantity of foods children brought and consumed at school in the balanced school day (BSD), with two 20-minute eating periods, versus the traditional schedule (TS), with one 20-minute lunch.
  
  
  
  Direct observation identified food items and amounts in BSD and TS lunches of grade 3 and 4 students (n = 321).
  
  
  
  The mean (SD) servings of foods packed in BSD lunches were significantly higher than the TS lunches for milk and alternatives (0.69 (0.70) vs 0.47 (0.49), P = 0.02), sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs; 0.91 (1.24) vs 0.57 (0.99), P = 0.01), and snacks (2.74 (1.55) vs 2.24 (1.48), P < 0.01). Regardless of schedule, only 40.8% of students had vegetables packed in their lunch, whereas 92.8% had snacks. When comparing foods eaten, SSBs and snacks remained significantly higher in the BSD (0.75 (1.02) vs 0.48 (0.83), P = 0.03; 2.37 (1.44) vs 1.93 (1.36), P = 0.01, respectively). The proportion of children (%) whose consumption met one-third of Canada's Food Guide recommendations for vegetables and fruit was low (27.5% BSD, 31.0% TS).
  
  
  
  The BSD may have unintended negative consequences on the type and amount of foods packed in school lunches. Support for families should focus on encouraging more vegetables and fruit and fewer SSBs and snacks in packed lunches.
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.
authors: Lisa J
authors: LJ
authors: Neilson
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.
authors: Lesley A
authors: LA
authors: Macaskill
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.
authors: Jonathan M H
authors: JM
authors: Luk
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.
authors: Navreeti
authors: N
authors: Sharma
authors: b Thames Valley District School Board, London, ON.
authors: Steve M
authors: SM
authors: Killip
authors: c Department of Paediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON.
authors: Marina I
authors: MI
authors: Salvadori
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.|c Department of Paediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON.|d Children's Health Research Institute, London, ON.|e Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON.
authors: Jamie A
authors: JA
authors: Seabrook
authors: a Division of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Brescia University College at Western University, London, ON.|f Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON.
authors: Paula D N
authors: PD
authors: Dworatzek
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D063427:Food Quality; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D062409:Lunch; D008297:Male; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D013997:Time Factors; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners