Rona R J, Chinn S
Division of Community Health, United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 1989 Mar;43(1):66-71. doi: 10.1136/jech.43.1.66.
In a nutritional surveillance system of primary school children in England and Scotland we assessed the possible effects on height gain of changes in school meals and school milk policies following the 1980 Education Act (No. 2). Mean height and height gain were estimated separately for English and Scottish samples from 1982 to 1984, and for a selective sample of inner city areas with a high proportion of ethnic minorities from 1983 to 1985 in children from 5.00 to 9.99 years. Children receiving free school meals were smaller than children paying for school meals or receiving a meal prepared elsewhere, while children receiving free school milk were of similar stature to other children in the study. The rate of growth was assessed in children receiving school meals or lunches prepared at home, and in those for whom arrangements changed during the study period; it was also assessed in those children for whom school milk was available, not available, or for whom the provision changed. No consistent association was found between provision of school meals or school milk and the rate of growth in the three samples studied when stratified according to poverty status and ethnic background. We conclude that this observational study does not provide any evidence that the current availability of school meals or school milk increases the rate of growth of primary school children in any social stratum.
在一项针对英格兰和苏格兰小学生的营养监测系统中，我们评估了1980年《教育法》（第2号）颁布后学校膳食和学校牛奶政策的变化对身高增长可能产生的影响。分别估算了1982年至1984年英格兰和苏格兰样本，以及1983年至1985年来自少数民族比例较高的市中心内城区的5.00至9.99岁儿童选择性样本的平均身高和身高增长情况。接受免费学校膳食的儿童比支付学校膳食费用或在其他地方就餐的儿童身材矮小，而接受免费学校牛奶的儿童与研究中的其他儿童身高相似。对接受学校膳食或在家准备午餐的儿童，以及在研究期间就餐安排发生变化的儿童的生长速度进行了评估；还对那些有学校牛奶供应、没有学校牛奶供应或牛奶供应发生变化的儿童的生长速度进行了评估。根据贫困状况和种族背景进行分层时，在研究的三个样本中，未发现学校膳食或学校牛奶的供应与生长速度之间存在一致的关联。我们得出结论，这项观察性研究没有提供任何证据表明目前学校膳食或学校牛奶的供应会提高任何社会阶层小学生的生长速度。
