[Effects of an alternative program to promote healthy eating in school canteen]

School Menu Review Programme (PReME): evaluation of compliance with dietary recommendations during the period 2006-2020 in Catalonia

BACKGROUND

The School Menu Review Programme (PReME) has been offering complimentary revisions of meal plans to all schools in Catalonia since 2006. This study aims to assess the evolution of compliance with PReME's recommendations in the meals provided by school cafeterias in Catalonia during the period 2006-2020.

METHODS

Pre-post study with a sample of 6,387 meal plans from 2221 schools assessed during the period. The information was collected mainly by public health specialists within the annual technical and sanitary inspection of school kitchens and cafeterias. Meal plans were evaluated by Dietitian-Nutritionists team according to the criteria of the National Health System's "Consensus document on nutrition in schools" and the Public Health Agency of Catalonia's current guide "Healthy eating at school". Reports were sent to each participating school. A few months later, a new meal plan and another questionnaire were collected and evaluated in comparison with the first meal plan. Compliance with the recommendations was analysed based on the type of canteen management and the school category.

RESULTS

Compliance improved during the study period. The percentage of schools that complied with dietary recommendations in relation to the five PReME indicators (fresh fruit, pulses, daily vegetables, fresh food and olive oil for dressing) has steadily increased since PReME began, (over 70% in all indictors; p =  < 0.001), with variations depending on school category and cafeteria management. Furthermore, an improvement in the levels of compliance with de recommended food frequencies was observed. with statistically significant differences for all items (p < 0.001), except for pulses whose compliance had been high since the beginning of the study (p = 0.216).

CONCLUSIONS

The positive evolution in compliance with PReME's recommendations provides evidence of the programme's effectiveness, with an improvement in the quality of school meals delivered in Catalonia.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet among Students from Primary and Middle School in the Province of Taranto, 2016-2018

The Mediterranean diet represents one of the healthiest dietary patterns, but nowadays it is increasingly being ignored in schools and by families. The aim of this study is to assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet by pupils living in a small Southern Italian municipality, and whether it is a predictor of nutritional status.The degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the socio-economic status and the nutritional status of 314 students (6–14 years) were tested during the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 school years with the help of a questionnaire comprising the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED) test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the predictive role of the KIDMED score and the other variables with respect to nutritional status. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is high, medium and poor in, respectively, 24.8, 56.4 and 18.8% of students; it varies depending on gender and age, with females and older students showing higher values. In the multivariate logistic regression model, sex and KIDMED level are become significant predictors of nutritional status. This study highlights the need for intervention in the form of school projects—also involving families—to promote healthier eating habits in younger generations.