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Meeting school food standards in the UK – students’ food choice & free school meals
Author(s) -
Ensaff Hannah,
Russell Jean,
Barker Margo E
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.lb392
Subject(s) - entitlement (fair division) , school meal , meal , food choice , medicine , food science , environmental health , mathematics , biology , mathematical economics , pathology
The food preferences and eating patterns of school children are paramount to the school food debate. The main objective of this study was to examine students’ school food choice in relation to school food standards and entitlement to free school meals. This study investigated the school food choices of 2660 students at two large secondary schools in Yorkshire. Utilizing seven months’ data from the cashless system employed in the schools’ dining facilities, a cross sectional analysis was conducted. Sandwiches and pizza were the most popular main food items: School A – 40.4% and 31.2%, respectively; School B – 48.3% and 27.3%. More nutritionally valuable ‘dishes of the day’ accounted for 8.7% and 8.3% of main foods for School A and School B, respectively. Free School Meal (FSM) students were more likely (p<0.001) to choose main foods (School A – FSM 87.04%; non‐FSM 70.28%) (School B – FSM 75.43%; non‐FSM 56.13%). ‘Dishes of the day’ were chosen on a significantly greater (p<0.001) percentage of days by FSM compared to non‐FSM students (School A – FSM 15.67%; non‐FSM 7.11%) (School B – FSM 19.42%; non‐FSM 5.17%). Despite the availability of nutritionally valuable ‘dishes of the day’, the most popular food items were sandwiches, pizza, and desserts. FSM students were more likely to choose the more nutritionally valuable ‘dish of the day’. School food standards should be reassessed in light of students’ preferences.