Dietary patterns in school meals in secondary schools: a case study using data from cafeteria sales in Birmingham

Abstract

The most recent national survey of the diets of British schoolchildren reported on the dietary patterns and nutrient intakes of 2697 schoolchil dren in the mid-1980s. Eyidence on the current dietary patterns of secondary-school pupils is not available nationally, but it is argued in this paper that useful information could be obtained from the school meals service. As an example of this possible method the sales data from 70 secondary-school dining rooms (used by 21,000 pupils daily) for one school year (1995/96) were analysed and the results compared to the findings of the 1989 national survey.