Intake frequency of calcium rich foods among schoolchildren between 5 and 11 years at a private school in Maringá/PR - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v7i0.6557

Abstract

School-aged children possess specific nutritional needs, demanding greater energetic amounts with appropriate vitamin and mineral contributions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of the intake of calcium-rich dairy products in schoolchildren between 5 and 11 years old at a private school in Maringá/PR. The data used belonged to the GREPO database; for economical classification, the ABEP Questionnaire was used; to evaluate the habitual consumption of milk and dairy products, a Food Frequency Questionnaire was used (QFCA). From the 308 evaluated students, 49.7% were boys and 50.3% girls; 49.7% were classified as being in economic class A2; 27.3% in class B; 0.6% in C and 1.0% in E; 61.2% of children consumed whole milk everyday; however, 26.5% reported they rarely or never consumed it; 17.2% consumed skim milk everyday; however, 71.6% of them rarely or never consumed this victual. On average, 11.5% of schoolchildren consumed fruit yogurt, fermented milk, yellow cheese, cream cheese and butter everyday. It was verified that victuals such as white cheese and natural yogurt are the least consumed. In this study, the schoolchildren reported the participation of the milk in their diet, with preference given to whole milk.