Possible effects of a free, healthy school meal on overall meal frequency among 10–12-year-olds in Norway: the School Meal Project

• Main Authors: Frøydis N. Vik, Ida K. Næss, Kaia E. P. Heslien, Nina C. Øverby
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-07-01
• Series: BMC Research Notes
• Subjects: Children; Free school meal; Intervention; Meal frequency; Norway
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4418-6

Abstract Objective To evaluate possible effects of intake of a free, healthy school meal on overall meal frequency among 10–12-year-olds in Norway. This was evaluated using a quasi-experimental school-based intervention study assessing children’s meal frequency retrospectively using a questionnaire in two elementary schools in the southern part of Norway in 2014/15. Multiple logistic regression analyses with breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper as dependent variables were used. Results A total of 164 children at baseline; 55 children in the intervention group and 109 children in the control group were included. The serving of a free school meal every day for 1 year did not improve the overall meal frequency in the intervention group compared to the control group. However, children in the intervention group had a lower odds of eating breakfast during weekends compared to the control group in crude analyses [odds ratio (OR) = 0.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.84)] and in adjusted analyses [adjusted for baseline values, gender and socio-economic status) (OR = 0.15 (95% CI 0.03–0.72)]. Studies including larger study samples and therefore more statistical power are needed to further investigate possible effects of school meals on meal frequency. Trial registration ISRCTN61703361, Date of registration: December 3rd, 2018, Retrospectively registered