Most lunch meals eaten by Danish school children are prepared at home. A project at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, will explore how the nutritional quality of packed lunches and snacks for children can be improved, and how to facilitate more exercise during school days.
Healthier packed lunches, more physical activity and increased well-being for Danish school children are the goals of a project at the National Food Institute. Previous studies have shown that it can be difficult to establish a consistent school food programmesmeal arrangement and that 85% of the Danish school children eat lunches prepared at home. Now a project at the National Food Institute will study how the quality of packed lunches and snacks can be improved, and how to facilitate more exercise during school days.
Children, parents and schools are involved
750 children in 3rd to 5th classes from ten different schools and their teachers and parents participate in the project. To give an example, as part of the project children could assist in preparing a brochure on healthy packed lunches for their parents. Furthermore, an application will be developed which makes it easy for parents and children to pack a nutritional and healthy lunch bag and spurs ideas for more exercise by the individual child and the entire family.
Involving all pupils is a central element of the projects which will be carried out in each school. The school childrenpupils are engaged in various ways - amongst others, they will be asked to assist in identifying their dietary and exercise habits. The schools are engaged in establishing a supportive framework for healthy dietary and exercise habits, e.g. by developing health policies and thereby having an impact on the school culture.
Continually monitoring children’s well-being
The project runs for three years, and continually monitors what the pupils eat, how physically active they are, and how they thrive. Their height and weight is measured as well.
The project has received 2.1 million DKK in funding from Nestlé’s Healthy Kids Global Programme, and is a cross-scientific cooperation project between the National Food Institute, The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Steno Health Promotion Centre and KOSMOS, which is a national knowledge centre for health, diet and exercise.
Read more
Read more about Nestlé’s Healthy Kids Globale Programme.