Sweden: Students do not have enough time for lunch

If children are not given enough time to eat their lunch in schools, they can easily lose control of food intake and overeat, according to new research. Researchers observed that students spend around 7 minutes consuming food during their lunch break, and eating with peers was associated with increased consumption of food. As girls age, their fast eating habits level out, however that is not the case for boys. Instead of focusing on increased speed of eating, schools should schedule enough time for children to consume a normal amount of food in a normal timeframe.
"Children eat their school lunch too quickly: An exploratory study on the effect on food intake"
BMC Public Health 2012; 12:351 (open access)
http://bit.ly/IWQJh1

Date Posted: 15 May 2012