Estimativa da disponibilidade de zinco em refeições com preparações padronizadas da alimentação escolar do município de Campinas

School menus in Santa Catarina: Evaluation with respect to the National School Food Program regulations

OBJECTIVE: To assess compliance of school menu planning with the National School Food Program's regulations. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed 133 menus for 542 schools in 49 municipalities of the state of Santa Catarina. The menus were assessed according to the National School Food Program's regulations, the "Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population" and the "Qualitative Evaluation of Menu Components for Schools". The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Nearly all (98.5%) municipalities met the requirement of technical responsibility for menu development and 81.0% acquired foods from family farms. The menus contained fruits (87.2%) and non-starchy vegetables (94.0%), but the frequencies of fruits and non-starchy vegetables were smaller than two to three times a week. The most common high-sodium and high-fat foods were commercially processed meats (53.0%), but their frequency was smaller than once a week. Likewise, the frequencies of beverages (natural fruit juice, coffee, and tea) were smaller than once a week. Most menus (85.1%) repeated foods during the week, and only 3.0% of the menus listed organic foods. CONCLUSION: Some school menus from Santa Catarina need to be revised with respect to the frequency of fruits and non-starchy vegetables, high-sugar foods, high-sodium foods, and high-fat foods, and need to increase food diversity and variety.

Planejamento de cardápios para escolas públicas municipais: reflexão e ilustração desse processo em duas capitais brasileiras

Objetivos Refletir sobre o planejamento dos cardápios do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar, e apresentar o procedimento em Florianópolis (SC) e Belém (PA). MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado por entrevistas com nutricionistas do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar e análise de cardápios de 2010 da rede municipal de ensino fundamental. Utilizou-se como referência a Resolução nº38/2009, expedida pelo gestor federal do programa. RESULTADOS: Em Belém, encontraram-se cardápios padronizados para as escolas e baixa oferta de frutas/hortaliças; em Florianópolis, cardápios elaborados segundo critérios da gestão, conforme as particularidades das escolas, com maior oferta de frutas/hortaliças. Nas duas capitais, a utilização de alimentos regionais mostrou-se pequena, com ausência de compra direta de agricultores familiares. CONCLUSÃO: Observaram-se muitas peculiaridades nas capitais, refletindo a diversidade na execução do programa após a municipalização. Apontam-se a necessidade de maior inclusão de alimentos regionais nos cardápios e a efetivação de instrumentos legais que viabilizem a entrada dos pequenos produtores locais no mercado.

Nutritional composition, assessed by chemical analyses, of prepared foods available for primary-school children: a comparison of public and private schools

Objective

To assess the nutritional quality of prepared foods available to primary-school children.

Design

Prepared foods available in a public and private school were sampled daily for 4 weeks (a total of forty-five samples) and chemically analysed for protein, fat, carbohydrate, iron, salt and sodium. The results were compared to the nutritional standards for children aged 7–10 years.

Setting

Alfenas, south-eastern Brazil.

Results

The concentration of protein, lipid, iron and sodium and the energy values of the foods at the private school were significantly higher than those at the public school. No differences were seen in the carbohydrate and salt values. The range of macronutrients was more balanced at the public school in relation to fat and protein. Foods at the private school were, in general, energy-dense. At both the public and private school, they provided the minimum energy and iron. Salt content was over twice the maximum amount, and that for sodium was over three times the amount, in both the public and private school.

Conclusions

Overall, foods prepared at the public school were better nutritional quality than those at the private school and those offered in public schools in some developed countries. This finding can probably be explained by the fact that a nutritionist, as required by law, was responsible for planning the menus at the public school. However, corrective action is needed to adjust for the wide variability in energy and nutrient content during weekdays and in the sodium content of prepared foods available in both the public and private school.