Sources of nutrients in students' diets.

This paper describes foods consumed and nutrients derived from specific foods by participants and non-participants in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Data are from 24-h dietary intake interviews with 3350 children in grades 1-12, collected as part of the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study. The meal-pattern requirements of the NSLP and SBP strongly influence what participants eat. NSLP participants are more likely than nonparticipants to consume milk, meats, grain mixtures, and vegetables, leading to higher intakes of fat and sodium, but also of calcium and vitamin A, and are less likely to consume cakes and cookies, soft drinks, and fruitades, which do not count toward program requirements. SBP participants are more likely than nonparticipants to consume milk and fruit juice, leading to higher intakes of calcium and magnesium, and are three times more likely to eat meat, leading to higher intakes of fat and sodium. Nonparticipants in the SBP obtain similar amounts of vitamins and minerals at breakfast but less food energy.