Lalchandani Neha Kishan, Hume Clare, Giles Lynne, Crabb Shona, Hendrikx Jo, Miller Caroline
School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide5005, Australia.
Deakin University, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
Public Health Nutr. 2025 Feb 3;28(1):e52. doi: 10.1017/S1368980025000126.
To characterise children's lunchbox contents for food, waste and packaging.
A cross-sectional study was conducted. Lunchboxes were photographed at two time points on the same day: before first morning break to capture food and packaging and post-lunch break to capture food waste. Contents were coded using an audit tool developed using REDCap.
Twenty-three sites across metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia including fourteen preschools and nine primary schools in low ( 8), medium ( 7) and high ( 8) socioeconomic areas.
Preschool (ages 3-5 years) to Grade 7 primary school (ages 6-13 years) students.
673 lunchboxes were analysed. Grain foods dominated (with at least half of them being discretionary varieties), with 92 % of lunchboxes having at least one item from that category, followed by fruits (78 %), snacks (62 %), dairy (32 %) and vegetables (26 %). Lunchboxes of preschool children contained more fruits (92 % . 65 %; χ2(1) = 73·3, < 0·01), vegetables (36 % . 16 %; χ2(1) = 34·0, < 0·01) and dairy items (45 % . 19 %; χ2(1) = 53·6, < 0·01), compared to lunchboxes of primary school children. Snack foods were more prevalent in primary school (68 %) than preschool (55 %; χ2(1) = 11·2, < 0·01). Discretionary foods appeared more frequently, and single-use packaging accounted for half (53 %) of all packaging in lunchboxes, primarily from snacks and grain foods. Preschool children had less single-use packaging but more food waste. Vegetables were the most wasted food group.
Sandwiches, fruits and various snacks are typical lunchbox foods, often accompanied by single-use packaging. Considering both health and environmental factors in lunchbox choices could benefit children and sustainability efforts in schools.
描述儿童午餐盒中的食物、垃圾和包装情况。
进行了一项横断面研究。在同一天的两个时间点拍摄午餐盒照片：上午第一次课间休息前以获取食物和包装，午餐休息后以获取食物垃圾。使用利用REDCap开发的审核工具对内容进行编码。
南澳大利亚州阿德莱德市的23个地点，包括14所幼儿园和9所小学，分布在低（8个）、中（7个）和高（8个）社会经济区域。
幼儿园（3至5岁）至小学7年级（6至13岁）的学生。
分析了673个午餐盒。谷物食品占主导（其中至少一半为任意种类），92%的午餐盒至少有一项属于该类别，其次是水果（78%）、零食（62%）、乳制品（32%）和蔬菜（26%）。与小学生的午餐盒相比，学龄前儿童的午餐盒含有更多水果（92%对65%；χ2(1)=73.3，P<0.01）、蔬菜（36%对16%；χ2(1)=34.0，P<0.01）和乳制品（45%对19%；χ2(1)=53.6，P<0.01）。零食在小学（68%）比在幼儿园（55%）更普遍（χ2(1)=11.2，P<0.01）。任意性食物出现得更频繁，一次性包装占午餐盒所有包装的一半（53%），主要来自零食和谷物食品。学龄前儿童的一次性包装较少但食物垃圾较多。蔬菜是浪费最多的食物类别。
三明治、水果和各种零食是典型的午餐盒食物，通常伴有一次性包装。在选择午餐盒时兼顾健康和环境因素可能有益于儿童以及学校的可持续发展努力。
