A choice architecture intervention targeting school meals and water frequency intake: A school-based randomized trial.

Our aim was to evaluate the impact of choice architecture on school meals and water intake frequency. We conducted a school-based randomized trial in seven elementary municipal public schools (control = 3; intervention = 4) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The interventions group received the following modifications: (1) banner of the daily school meal menu and two superheroes, (2) waterproof tablecloths, (3) posters on healthy eating habits, (4) displays with playful names, (5) new containers for fruits, and (6) colored footprints for one month.

Feasibility in meeting nutrient amounts of the National School Feeding Program and its relationship with the menu cost.

We evaluated the feasibility of the menu adequacy regarding the nutritional constraints established by the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) and its relation to the cost. Each menu accounted for a given food combination within each food group. A diet optimization model comprising each set of foods was designed to obtain food quantities in order to meet the exigences of the PNAE at the lowest cost (menus with 20% and 30% of dietary reference intake for energy, macronutrients, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A and C, also restrictions for sodium, saturated and trans fats, and added sugar).

Papass clinical trial protocol: a multi-component school-based intervention study to increase acceptance and adherence to school feeding.

Background: One of the largest school feeding programs in the world is the National School Feeding Program of Brazil. However, results from the 2012 National School Health Survey indicated that only 22.8% of 9th grade students in Brazilian public school system consumed school meals.

Major food groups contributing to sodium intake in school-attending adolescents.

Background: Excessive sodium intake is a risk factor for developing systemic arterial hypertension. Increased blood pressure during childhood increases the risk of hypertension in adulthood. Assessing sodium intake across different eating places is important, as the meals offered in different places can influence dietary quality.