SCHOOL NUTRITION DIETARY ASSESSMENT STUDY - OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY DESIGN

The School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study collected information fr om a nationally representative sample of schools and a nationally repr esentative sample of students attending these schools. A total of 545 schools provided information about all meals served during a 1-wk peri od between February and May 1992, as well as information about school food service operations. Approximately 3350 students in grades 1-12 pr ovided derailed information about the foods and beverages that they co nsumed during a 24-h period that included a school day. To assess the content of both the school meals offered to students and the meals con sumed by students, the study used dietary standards from three sources : the recommended dietary allowances, the Dietary guidelines for Ameri cans, and recommendations of the National Research Council.