學校蔬食日之營養均衡性及午餐服務滿意度與認知度—以彰化沿海某國小為例

An imbalanced diet among schoolchildren can cause abnormal body weight and increase the prevalence of chronic diseases. In order to understand the influence of a meatless day towards the body weight of schoolchildren, and nutrition cognition and satisfaction with the lunch service, the aim of this study was to investigate the content of the school lunch matched with principles of the school lunch program in elementary sixth year students in a Changhua County coastal area. A self-designed questionnaire was conducted to explore relationships of eating preferences, and satisfaction and acceptance of the lunch with nutritional cognition towards the meatless day among schoolchildren. We also collected information on gender, the body-mass index, and other anthropometric indicators. In total, 94 students were recruited. Fifty-two percent of students were found to be either overweight or obese. The percentages of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) and the amount of cholesterol met the guidelines of recommendations for Changhua County. However, total calories and non-refined grains were insufficient. In general, the greater cognition students had for the meatless day, the greater was their satisfactory response. If the school or teachers were to promote nutrition education, it should enhance the students' willingness to accept vegetables.