Diet quality in students aged 7 to 10 years in São Paulo: Association with the number and the locations of the meals

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze the relationship between diet quality and meal number and location in school children aged 7-10 years in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

METHODS:

This was a cross-sectional study of school children aged 7-10 years of two public schools in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2013. Food intake was investigated by three 24-hour recalls and diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index adapted for Brazil.

RESULTS:

Most schoolchildren had breakfast, fewer than five meals a day, no meal at school, three or more meals at home, and no meals away from home. Having breakfast was associated with higher intake of vegetables and milk, and higher number of daily meals was associated with lower sodium intake. The high prevalence of home meals was associated with lower intake of saturated fats, calories from fat, and sugar, and with higher diet quality. Meals away from home were associated with higher intake of whole grains, and calories from fat and sugar.

CONCLUSION:

Higher intake of healthy foods takes place at home, so food and nutrition education activities should encourage food at home and healthy food choices away from home.

Child nutrition; School feeding; Food habits