A Study of Biological Contamination, Nutritional Status, Amount of Energy and Nutrients in Lunch Among Grade 4-6 Students in Thalang, Phuket Province, Thailand

Abstract

We conducted a Study of biological contamination, nutritional status, amount of energy and nutrients in lunches among primary school students in grades 4-6 in the Thalang District, Phuket Province, Thailand. We collected data on biological contamination in students’ dishware and eating utensils, students’ nutritional status, as well as amount of energy and nutrients from the school lunches in two public primary schools in Thalang District, Phuket Province. We collected six samples of dishware and eating utensils per school such as such as dish, bowl, spoon, spade of frying pan, ladle and pot, resulting in 12 samples total from 2 schools. We used the SI-2 test to determine if Coliform bacteria contaminated the samples. Our research instruments included a student health record book, record of students’ weight, and height measurement record. We calculated students’ nutritional status by examining the standard score according to students’ body weight by height, which has been developed by the Thai Bureau of Nutrition, Department of Health and Ministry of Public Health. Nutritional status was calculated for 124 students, ranging from age 9-12 years and who in grades 4-6. We also collected quantitative secondary data including a list of school’s lunches within thirty days. We used the software INMUCAL V.4.0 to use the lunch data to estimate the amount of energy and nutrients each student received in a day.  We also calculated descriptive statistics (mean and the standard deviation).

         We found no contamination of student dishware or utensils with coliform bacteria. Our assessment of nutritional status showed that most students were at normal level of growth status (n=77, 62.06%), 31 students (25.00 %) were overweight, and 16 students (12.90 %) were underweight.  The estimated percentage distribution of energy in the lunches for the first and second schools were 57.59% (SD=7.89) and 51.57 % (SD=9.38) for carbohydrates distribution, 22.62 % (SD=6.58) and 24.74 % (SD=6.68) for protein, and 19.79 % (SD=5.57) and 23.69% (SD=6.69) for lipids, respectively. For the first and second schools, the amount of vitamin A was 224.52 mg (SD=95.63) and 264.55 (SD=102.38), for vitamin C was 41.23 mg (SD=43.11) and 42.40 (SD=55.17) mg, and for Vitamin B1 was 0.61 mg (SD=0.25) and 0.96 (SD=0.40) mg, respectively. The results could be utilized to improve the operation level of school and coordinate within community to improve the school’s food service according to nutritional needs and values which students should receive. The results can also assist improving food sanitation in school, continuously and systematically, as well as developing the relationship and cooperation between school and student’s family to monitor the students’ nutritional status.