Free school meals and children's social and nutritional status in Trinidad and Tobago

[摘要] Objective:To evaluate the provision of free school meals in Trinidad and Tobago in relation to children's social and nutritional status.Design and methods: Cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of 66 government schools, including children in the admissions classes (aged 4 to 7 years) and classes for ‘rising nines’ (aged 7–10 years). Data included questionnaire details of free school meals and children's social background, and measurements of children's heights, weights and skinfold thicknesses.Results:Of 6731 eligible children, data were analysed for 5688 (85%). There were 2386 (42%) children receiving free meals provided at school. At different schools the proportion of all children receiving free meals ranged from 20% to 100%, P < 0.001. Receipt of free meals was associated with larger family size (one child, 32% received free meals; ≥6 children, 63%), lower paternal educational attainment (primary, 52% free; university, 30%), father's employment (employed, 39% free meals; unemployed

[学科分类] 卫生学

[关键词] Children;Nutritional status;School meals;Unemployment;Education;Trinidad and Tobago;West Indies