Keywords
National School Lunch Program; Food waste; Photography; Adolescent; BMI
Abstract
Background: The nutritional quality of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meals has been criticized as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic in U.S. children. There is need to determine the actual gram consumption and compare the energy and macronutrient contributions of these meals with foods eaten when not at school. Objectives: To determine if photography is a reliable data collection tool for measuring food intakes of high school students who participate in the NSLP. Secondly, to compare the energy and macronutrient content of the NSLP meals with meals eaten when not at school and along with student’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Methods: Researchers measured the amounts of food consumed by the students in one high school in Illinois using photographs of before and after food trays and weighed food wastes for comparisons. Actual wastes were weighed and compared with the estimated gram wastes by blinded independent observers. Estimated percentage wastes were converted into gram amounts based on actual gram weight of the food items. Students completed a demographic and physical activity questionnaire and a 3- day food record to determine the contribution of calories and macronutrients consumed when not at school. Self-reported heights and weights were used to determine BMI. Thirty-six students from grades 9-12 participated in this pilot study, mean age was 16.41±1.30. Results: Significantly high inter-rater reliability (r= 0.966, p<0.001) was found for photographic estimates and actual gram amounts of food consumed. Paired samples t-test for calories and macronutrients was significant (p<0.05) for meals eaten when not at school with those provided by the NSLP lunch meal. Overall, the NSLP meals provided fewer calories and macronutrients. Mean BMI was 23.09±3.74. High BMI was reported despite being physically active. Conclusion: High inter-rater reliability was found for photographic estimates and actual food waste. Photography is a reliable tool for measuring food intakes of high school students. Energy and macronutrient intakes were higher for meals eaten when not at school compared to that provided by the NSLP. BMI was not related to calories provided by the NSLP meal nor physical activity.
Citation
Barrett S, Kyle A, Skaradzinski V and Leong CMH. The Use of Photography for Determining Macronutrient Intakes of High School Students Participating in the National School Lunch Program. SM J Nutr Metab. 2016; 2(1): 1012.