The current status of morning snack practices in primary schools in Rome, Italy

Introduction: Despite its potential clinical relevance, practices of morning snack in children have been poorly investigated. Objectives: The aim of this survey was to describe the current practices of the morning snack among children attending the primary schools in Rome, Italy. Method/Design: A total of 967 children aged 9-10 years and attending 37 primary schools selected to represent homogeneously the distribution within the municipality of Rome were recruited in an observational cross-sectional study performed in 2010. Teachers advised children in their parents about the study protocol during a one morning class forum. Parents of children were invited to fulfil at home a standardized questionnaire about usual daily feeding and life style of children. Results: A percentage of 90,8% completed questionnaires were returned. The morning snack was consumed habitually by 90,9% (95,5%CI,88,8-92,8%) children at around 10h o'clock. No difference was found between children that consumed or not the morning snack with respect to gender, maternal education or social level, and child's physical activity (p>0,05). Liquid food mostly assumed were juice fruit(25,2%), tea (7,3%) and milk (6,5%). Cheese/salami sandwiches (46,7%), pre-packaged snacks (44,7%), pizza/pizza bread (28,1%) and breadsticks (14,5%) were the most frequently consumed solid foods. Fruit or yoghurt were assumed respectively by 20,3% and 8,5% of children. Conclusions: intervention programs should be planned to inform schoolchildren, parents, and teachers about the importance of healthy nutrition to possibly change their current morning snacks practices especially in the choice of foods.