The quality of school lunch consumed reflects overall eating patterns in 11–16-year-old schoolchildren in Finland (original) (raw)

ObjectiveTo explore how the quality of school lunch consumed reflected overall eating patterns in school-aged children.DesignChildren filled in an Internet-based questionnaire about their eating patterns. The children were then divided into balanced and imbalanced school lunch eaters on the basis of their responses in the questionnaire. A balanced school lunch consisted of, by the definition used in the present study, a main dish, salad and bread.SettingEleven primary schools and one middle school in eastern Finland.SubjectsA total of 531 schoolchildren (247 boys and 284 girls) aged 11–16 years.ResultsThe school lunch was balanced in 46·5 % of children. Eating a balanced school lunch was associated with overall healthier eating patterns outside school. Children who ate a balanced school lunch had more regular meal times and consumed healthier snacks. They ate fruit or berries and vegetables, dairy products and wholegrain foods more often, consumed fewer salty snacks, pizzas, meat pi...