DIETARY INTAKES OF STUDENTS

This paper relies on 24-h dietary recall data from a nationally repres entative sample of approximate to 3350 students to analyze the dietary intakes of students. Most US students eat at least five times during the day, and nearly all eat at least three times per day. The average daily intake of vitamins and minerals at least meets the recommended d ietary allowances (RDAs). Overall, students consume more food energy o n average than recommended, suggesting that some may be at risk of con suming more food energy than is optimal. Students also consume more pr otein, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium than is recommended for go od health. National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participants' mean int akes of most nutrients at lunch meet the program goal of at least one- third of the RDA. NSLP participants, however, consume more fat, satura ted fat, and sodium than is recommended. School Breakfast Program (SBP ) participants' mean intakes of most nutrients at breakfast also excee d the program goal of one-fourth of the RDA. However, their breakfast intakes of saturated fat as a percentage of food energy, cholesterol, and sodium exceed dietary recommendations.