Algorithm for nutrient profiling of school meal menu and its effectiveness assessment
Authors:
Tatyana V. Mazhaeva, Elena P. Potapkina, Dmitry V. Grashchenkov, Nadezhda I. Kutergina, Julia S. Chernova, Vladimir B. Gurvich
Abstract:
The study focused on developing and testing a nutrient profiling algorithm to optimize school meal menus and evaluate their medical effectiveness. The algorithm utilized a scoring system for evaluating diets based on eight key criteria (balanced nutritional profile, carbohydrate and fat content, fiber and added sugar content, vitamin and mineral value, caloric content, and variety), as well as weighting factors. The analysis was based on survey data from 5,347 schoolchildren in Еkaterinburg and an evaluation of two-week menus from three schools. To objectively evaluate the effectiveness of the modified diet, mass spectrometry of microbial markers was used to study the gut microbiota of 60 students before and after the implementation of the modified diet. The results revealed significant variability in the coverage of hot meals (from 97.7% in elementary grades to 52.9% in high school) and differences in the nutritional quality of the school menus. The scoring system showed that the menu with the initial inclusion of fortified foods performed better. Targeted adjustments to the menu at one school (introducing wheat germ flour, bran, turmeric, and seaweed) resulted in an increase in the integrated score from 7.6 to 8.3 points. The most significant result was a significant improvement in the composition of the gut microbiota after four weeks of eating the optimized diet: the proportion of friendly microbiota (eubacteria, lactobacilli) and fiber-utilizing bacteria increased, while the number of potentially pathogenic microorganisms decreased. The obtained data confirm the effectiveness of the nutrient profiling algorithm as a tool for transitioning to evidence-based, targeted, and preventative school meals. The developed approach is applicable to the systematic optimization of diets in educational institutions as part of state policy to improve the health of the child population. Further research on the impact of such diets on clinical and metabolic health indicators and the development of sustainable eating habits is required to assess the long-term impact.
Keywords:
menu; school meals; nutrient profiling; optimization; efficiency; gut microbiota
For citation:
