Nutrition Assessment on School Lunches Provided by School Lunch Companies in Shanghai

Objective To investigate general situation of school lunch companies in Shanghai, and assess the nutrition of school lunch products provided.

Methods All the 21 school lunch companies registered to the Shanghai Association of Student Nutrition Promotion were investigated by questionnaire and on-site survey.

Results There were differences in the size and staffing of the lunch companies. The average supplies of energy (698.9±199.8) kcal, protein (38.6±10.1) g, fat (32.8±17.3) g, iron (9.5±3.7) mg, zinc (5.5±1.5) mg, vitamin A (329.1±346.9) μg, vitamin B₁ (0.5±0.3) mg, vitamin B₂ (0.4±0.1) mg, and vitamin C (58.2±32.8) mg in the lunch recipes were all higher than the recommended intake levels. However, the average supplies of calcium (217.2±130.1) mg and carbohydrate (62.2±22.0) g did not reach the recommended intake levels. Inappropriate proportions of three main energy nutrients(protein, fats, carbohydrate) were found:23.0%, 39.8%, and 37.2% for the first dietary pattern, providing energy of(644.4±119.6) kcal; 24.0%, 34.5%, and 41.5% for the second dietary pattern, providing energy of(677.7±125.5) kcal; and 22.3%, 46.0%, and 31.7% for the third dietary pattern, providing energy of(914.0±191.9) kcal.

Conclusion It is suggested to carry out standardized management for school lunch companies, to improve staff's professional skills and quality, and promote the nutritive quality of school lunch products provided.