Abstract

This study was performed to assess the nutrient intakes and diet quality of rural middle school students provided with and without the national school lunch program(NSLP). The data on dietary intakes were obtained by using food record method questionnaires which were collected from 340 rural middle school students provided with(n=177) and without (n=163) NSLP. Diet quality was accessed by NAR(nutrient adequacy ration), MAR(mean adequacy ration), and INQ( index of nutritional quality). Total energy intakes of the boys were 2123 kcal with NSLP and 1857 kcal without NSLP. Total energy intakes of the girls were 1913 kcal with NSLP and 1814 kcal without NSLP. Phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin intakes were above the RDA in the NSLP group. For those without NLSP, phosphorus, vitamin E, thiamin intakes were above RDA, however, calcium, iron vitamin A, vitamin $B_6$ were less than the RDA. The mean adequacy ration(MAR), an index of dietary quality was 0.69(with) 0.62(without) for males and 0.62(without) for females The indexes of nutritional quality(INQ) were over 1 for most nutrients except calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B$_2$ and zinc. The study showed that total daily energy and nutrient intakes were significantly higher in students provided with than those without school-lunches. Thus, the school-lunch program is recommenced and necessary to improve the nutritional status of middle school students.

• Keywords: diet quality; rural middle school stuuents; NAR; ING;