Middle-school students' school lunch consumption does not meet the new Institute of Medicine's National School Lunch Program recommendations

Objective: To compare the school lunch consumption of Texas middle-school students with the 2009 Institute of Medicine's (IOM) school meal report recommendations. These new lunch menu patterns increase fruit to one serving and vegetables to two servings, with 50% wholegrain food. Design: Lunch food records were collected from middle-school students from four schools in south-east Texas in the spring of 2008, and entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research software. Average intake was calculated for those consuming meals according to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP; n 5414) and for those consuming lunch from other sources (n 239). The percentage of students selecting each food group was calculated. Setting: Middle schools in south-east Texas. Subjects: Middle-school students in south-east Texas. Results: Students consuming NSLP meals reported consuming almost 1/2 serving of fruit, 3/4 serving of vegetables, 8 oz of milk and 1/3 serving of whole grains at lunch. Non-NSLP consumers reported almost no intake of fruit, vegetables or milk, and consumed 1/4 serving of whole grains at lunch. Among NSLP consumers, about 40% selected and consumed a fruit serving. About two-thirds of students selected a vegetable, consuming about 67%. Less than 4% selected a dark green or orange vegetable. Conclusions: Students' lunch intake did not meet the new IOM recommendations. Few students selected dark green or orange vegetables, and only 40% selected fruit. Whole grains consumption was low. Interventions with all stakeholders will be necessary to improve students' food and beverage selections overall when school meal patterns are revised.