Abstract

Objective: The dietary contribution of school meals to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is an important indicator of the dietary quality of school meals. School meals are expected to contribute to one third of the energy and nutrient. However, in Ethiopia the contribution of school meals to the RDA and nutrient intakes of school going adolescents has not been adequately explored. This study measured the contribution of the school meals to RDA and nutrient intakes of the school going adolescents from schools in selected districts in Sidama Regional state of Ethiopia.

Research methods & procedures: A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected public second cycle (grade 4-8) primary schools in Sidama Region, Ethiopia. A total of 240 (120 from schools with SFP and 120 from schools with no SFP) adolescents aged 10-14 years were selected from sixteen schools. A 24-hours dietary recall was used to determine the nutrient intake of the students. The school meals were weighed twice using a digital scale; first before drying and second after dried using an oven at a temperature of 60°C. The nutrient content and dietary energy of the meals were calculated using Ethiopian food composition table.

Results; Among adolescents in beneficiary schools, the mean (95% confidence interval (CI)) dietary intakes for energy, carbohydrate, protein, iron  and iodine were 1900.3kcal CI (82.2 - 325), 116.5g CI (9.8 - 25.6), 34.9g CI (4.4 - 9.4), 10.2g CI (3.3 – 4.9 ) and 164.5 µg CI(96.9 - 102.2)  respectively. Students from beneficiary schools had significantly higher intakes of energy, carbohydrate, protein, iron and iodine (P<0.001). Among SFP-beneficiaries, the school meal had contributed considerably to the RDA of energy (31.7% ± 3.94), carbohydrate (37.2%±0) and protein (33.7% ±7.2), iron (102.2±16.4) and iodine (95.5%±8.3). However contributions to the RDA of fat (22.2% ±3), Vitamin A (0.06 %), vitamin C (0%), zinc (17%) and calcium (6.5%) were low.

Conclusions

The school meal contributed above the minimum expected one-third RDA in energy, carbohydrate protein, iron, iodine and it is below the recommendation in fat and micronutrients contribution particularly vitamin-A, vitamin-c, zinc and calcium in adolescents age 10-14 years old. Inclusion of animal products, fruits, and vegetables may improve the contribution of school meals in macro and micronutrient values.

Keywords: Adolescents, Nutrient contribution, School feeding program, School meals,