¿Dónde están los frijoles? Un estudio de viabilidad para evaluar la calidad del programa de almuerzos escolares de Costa Rica
Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Excess body weight among children has increased dramatically in Costa Rica, a country with an established School and Adolescent Feeding and Nutrition Program. We conducted a nine-day pilot study to assess the quality of the diet served at the cafeteria in the Jacó Central School located in Garabito, a county with very low human development index. Food plates from 361 schoolchildren between 1rst and 6th grade were weighted to estimate consumption (g), as the difference between the amount of food served (g) and the amount of food left in the plate (g). During the 9-day period, refined grains (rice or spaghetti) were included every day, whereas legumes and salad were included 78% and 56% of the time. Side dishes mostly consisting of beef or mixed dishes with beef or pork were included 56% of the time. Whole grains were not included in the menu. Girls chose not to have black beans and salad 38% and 34% of the time, and boys, 44% and 40% of the time, respectively. The proportion of white rice to beans served among those who chose these foods was 1.57 g among grades 1rst to 3th and 1.32 g among 4rst to 6th. In sum, foods served in the school studied consisted mainly of refined grains, with very small proportions of legumes and vegetables, and an unnecessarily high frequency of red meat. The results from this pilot study are worrisome given the known adverse effects of such dietary patterns on excess body weight.
Institutions: Universidad Hispanoamerica, Harvard University
Language: Spanish
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2981087430