Raciones de desayuno y almuerzo entregadas a preescolares por el Programa de Alimentación Escolar (PAE): Calorías aportadas y consumidas

Abstract

Chile's School Feeding Program delivers approximately 215,000 and 1.3 million breakfast and lunch trays daily to preschool and school children attending public schools. In 2011 we carried out a study with the objective to determine K cal provided and consumed from breakfast and lunch trays respectively, acceptance" of the preparations and assess if there was an association between K cal consumed and nutritional status. The sample included 1995 y old children from 6 schools located in 3 low income districts of Santiago (2 per district). K cal consumed was determined by the difference in weight of each preparation from 429 and 1491 breakfast and lunch trays, respectively. Almost 50% of the children were overweight. 10.8% and 30% of the breakfast and lunch trays respectively provided less K cal than indicated, while in 50% of them, there was an excess. In 22.5% of breakfast and lunch trays added together, consumption exceeded the amount indicated. The correlation between consumption of the preparation and acceptance was good. Salads showed low acceptability. No relation was found between K cal consumed and nutritional status. This program should include a revision of the combination of food preparations and their correct portioning as a means of addressing the high prevalence of childhood obesity.