Resumo

RITO, Ana Isabel et al. Nutritional qualitative evaluation and improvement of school meals in Portugal: Eat Mediterranean Program. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2018, n.12, pp.06-12. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2018.1202.

Introduction: Eat Mediterranean: A Program for Eliminating Dietary Inequalities in Schools has been developed through a comprehensive approach at the individual and community level, focusing on the school environment. The school provides a privileged environment for health education, the promotion of healthy lifestyles and social equity, having the responsibility to ensure nutritionally balanced food availability. Objectives: Assess the impact of the Eat Mediterranean program on the nutritional quality of food offer in school canteens in 3 School Groupings in Santarém and Alpiarça municipalities. Methodology: All school menus (n = 386) of the school year 2015/16 were evaluated qualitatively through the tool SPARE (School Planning and Evaluation of School Meals): preschools and primary schools (responsibility of municipalities); 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic and secondary education schools (responsibility of DGEstE) and a school of 2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education with its own cooking service (responsibility of the School) - total of 25 schools. New menus were elaborated according to the SPARE criteria, which were implemented in school year 2016/17 in preschools and primary schools and in the school with its own cooking service. Results: After the intervention of the Eat Mediterranean, the SPARE score of the school menus with its own cooking service increased from 37% to 86.4%; in preschools and primary schools in Santarém and Alpiarça municipalities, the SPARE global scores went from 76.7% and 53.6%, respectively, to 88.2% and 100%, after intervention, respectively. Considering the SPARE criteria not met in the initial evaluation and those that have been fulfilled in the new menus implemented, we emphasize those associated with the supply of vegetables, legumes, fish and white meats. Conclusions: The Eat Mediterranean demonstrated to have a favourable impact on the quality of the meals served in the schools under study. Schools should play their key role in promoting healthy lifestyles, including the principles of the Mediterranean Diet, by taking it consistently through a balanced and healthy food offer, working in the social and economic environment of the most disadvantaged populations.

Palavras-chave : School menus; Nutrition qualitative evaluation; School meals; SPARE.

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