CHAPTER FIVE: PUPILS' WIDER DIETS
5.1 In this section, pupils' diets within and beyond the context of school meals are examined. Primary, secondary and special school pupils were asked to complete diet diaries as one element of the research. The results for each are considered in turn. Primary pupils completed diaries for five days while those in the secondary and special schools completed them for one day. Given the different time periods covered by the diet diaries, comparisons between the diets of primary school pupils and others are not possible.
5.2 It is important to remember that these results refer specifically to the diets of children in case study schools and do not necessarily reflect the diets of all pupils in Scotland. It should be noted that consumption is that recorded by pupils and may not be a completely accurate record of all food and drink consumed within the diet diary periods. In some cases not all foods consumed may have been fully recorded, for example the consumption of vegetables may have been under-reported in composite dishes such as spaghetti bolognese or other pasts dishes.
Primary schools
5.3 Primary pupils completed diet diaries for five days, covering Monday morning to Friday lunchtime, to gather information about their broader eating habits. The diaries were analysed to give an indication of the number of times a day or week pupils were eating or drinking items from a range of food groups, based loosely around the groups included in the "Menu Planning" table in the Hungry for Success Report.
Table 5.1: Number of times a week pupils consume particular types of food/drink before school (maximum = 5) - % of primary pupils
Base = 624
| No Days | One Day | Two Days | Three Days | Four Days | Five Days |
|---|
Bread/cereal | 4% | 8% | 8% | 10% | 19% | 52% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 42% | 18% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 10% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 83% | 12% | 3% | 2% | 1% | * |
|---|
Fruit | 72% | 16% | 7% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 98% | 2% | 1% | * | - | - |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 46% | 18% | 11% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
|---|
Water | 64% | 18% | 8% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 80% | 11% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
|---|
Nothing to eat before school | 81% 4 | 9% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
|---|
Nothing to drink before school | 59% | 17% | 10% | 6% | 5% | 3% |
|---|
Percentages do not all add up to 100 due to rounding
* = less than 1%; - = 0
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - primary schools
5.4 The majority of pupils (81%) ate a breakfast on every day covered by the diet diary. Only 1% of pupils had no breakfast on all five days. However, just under one tenth (9%) missed breakfast on one day of the diet diary period. Over half (59%) had something to drink before school on every day, although this meant that around four in ten (41%) did not drink anything before school on all five days and 17% did not drink before school on one day out of the five.
5.5 The most common breakfast among pupils was bread or cereal, with 52% of pupils eating this on every day of fieldwork. A tenth of pupils had yogurt or milk everyday. Almost three quarters did not eat fruit on any day. In terms of unhealthy eating, over a tenth (12%) of pupils had fried, high fat, or high sugar foods 5 before school on one day of fieldwork and 11% had fizzy drinks on one day. It was very uncommon for pupils to eat processed meats before school.
Table 5.2: Number of times a week pupils consume particular types of food/drink at school during the morning (maximum = 5) - % of primary pupils
Base = 624
| NONE | One | Two | Three | Four | Five |
|---|
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 97% | 3% | * | * | - | * |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 74% | 11% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 7% | 7% | 10% | 13% | 21% | 43% |
|---|
Fruit | 71% | 17% | 6% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 62% | 15% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
|---|
Water | 46% | 17% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 7% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 70% | 16% | 8% | 4% | 1% | 2% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at school during morning | 68% | 15% | 7% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at school during morning | 46% | 16% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 10% |
|---|
Percentages do not all add up to 100 due to rounding
* = less than 1%; - = 0
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - primary schools
5.6 Table 5.2 displays the types of food that pupils ate between arriving at school and lunchtime. The majority of pupils ate something at this time on all five days (68%) and almost all pupils (97%) ate during the morning on at least one day out of five. Over half (54%) did not have a drink during the morning on all five days. The most common type of food eaten at this time was fried, high fat or high sugar foods, with a large minority (43%) of pupils eating this on every day of the diet diary period. Just under a fifth (17%) ate fruit on one day of the five, and 11% had milk or yogurt. The type of drinks pupils consumed in the morning varied, although water was most often drunk at this time (54% drank water on at least one day). Given that all but one of the case study primary schools supplied water to pupils it might have been expected that this figure would be higher. The majority of pupils did not have fizzy drinks at all at this time (70%), presumably as these products are banned or discouraged in many primary schools, although around one in six (16%) pupils did have these drinks on one day out of the five.
Table 5.3: Number of times a week pupils consume particular types of food/drink at lunch (maximum = 5) - % of primary pupils
Base = 624
| NONE | One | Two | Three | Four | Five |
|---|
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 7% | 10% | 14% | 18% | 22% | 30% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 59% | 15% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 4% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate, chips) | 12% | 16% | 21% | 18% | 18% | 15% |
|---|
Fruit | 24% | 19% | 14% | 13% | 16% | 14% |
|---|
Vegetables/salad | 69% | 21% | 6% | 3% | 1% | 1% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 55% | 29% | 12% | 3% | 1% | * |
|---|
Cheese/egg products | 85% | 10% | 3% | 2% | * | 1% |
|---|
Fish/fish fingers | 73% | 20% | 6% | 1% | - | - |
|---|
Meat/meat dishes | 67% | 21% | 10% | 2% | 1% | * |
|---|
Soup | 81% | 15% | 3% | 1% | 1% | - |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 30% | 17% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 18% |
|---|
Water | 59% | 19% | 9% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 84% | 10% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at lunch | 97% | 3% | - | - | - | - |
|---|
Nothing to drink at lunch | 77% | 12% | 5% | 2% | 3% | 2% |
|---|
Percentages do not all add up to 100 due to rounding
* = less than 1%; - = 0
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - primary schools
5.7 Table 5.3 displays the types of food that pupils ate at lunchtime during the week of fieldwork. Given the types of meal choices primary pupils make, these foods mostly reflect what is offered by the school meals service, as well as what pupils bring for packed lunches. Almost all pupils (97%) ate lunch on every day during the period covered by the diet diary; the remaining pupils missed lunch on one day out of the five. Over three quarters (77%) of pupils drank something every day at lunchtime.
5.8 Products from food group 1, such as potatoes, pasta, rice or bread were eaten every day by 30% of pupils. Meat, fish and alternatives from food group 4 were widely consumed. Around half of pupils (45%) ate a processed meat product on at least one day out of the five; one in six ate them more than the recommended once a week. A third ate meat/meat dishes (33%), over a quarter (27%) fish and one in 7 (15%) cheese or egg products on at least one day out of the five.
5.9 Fruit was eaten by over three quarters of pupils (76%) on at least one day during the week and 14% on five days. Vegetables were not so popular; seven in ten pupils (69%) had no vegetables or salad on any day. While this is discouraging, it may not include vegetables that are 'hidden' in dishes, such as onions and carrots in spaghetti bolognese. Few pupils reported eating soup, despite it being reported as popular by catering staff in primary schools (Section D - What Pupils Eat: Pupils Lunchtime Choices) and reported as being liked by over nine in ten pupils (Section F - Food Preferences). Most (81%) of the case study pupils reported that they did not have soup on any days during the diet diary period. Around four in ten (41%) had yogurt, milk or a milk-based product on at least one day out of five.
5.10 Only 12% of pupils did not consume any fried, high fat or high sugar foods at lunchtime during the diet diary period, with one in seven (15%) of pupils eating these products on all five days. Not many pupils drank fizzy drinks at lunchtime, with only one in six (17%) of pupils taking these on at least one day. Instead juice was the most popular lunchtime drink choice 6, consumed by seven in ten on at least one day. Juice and water were each consumed by one in six primary pupils in case study schools (17% and 19% respectively) on one day out of the five on which diet diaries were completed.
Table 5.4: Number of times a week pupils consume particular types of food/drink at school during the afternoon (maximum = 4) - % of primary pupils
Base = 624
| NONE | One | Two | Three | Four |
|---|
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 96% | 2% | 1% | 1% | * |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | - | - | - | - | - |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 52% | 24% | 11% | 8% | 5% |
|---|
Fruit | 76% | 14% | 7% | 3% | 1% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 99% | 1% | - | - | - |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 73% | 17% | 6% | 3% | 2% |
|---|
Water | - | - | - | - | - |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | - | - | - | - | - |
|---|
Nothing to eat at school during afternoon | 18% | 15% | 19% | 23% | 25% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at school during afternoon | 26% | 16% | 19% | 19% | 20% |
|---|
Percentages do not all add up to 100 due to rounding
* = less than 1%; - = 0
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - primary schools
5.11 The foods and drinks that pupils consumed during the afternoon are displayed in Table 5.4. More pupils reported eating or drinking something in the morning during school than they did in the afternoon. 18% ate something on all five days in the afternoon compared with 68% during the morning. Just over a quarter (26%) drank something on all five days in the afternoon, compared with almost a half (46%) in the morning. A quarter of pupils did not eat anything, and a fifth did not drink anything in the afternoon during the period covered by the diet diary. Just under a half (52%) ate fried, high fat, or high sugar foods; around a quarter (24%) ate fruit and a similar proportion (26%) drank juice in the afternoon on at least one day out of five.
Table 5.5: Number of times a week pupils consume particular types of food/drink after getting home from school (maximum = 4) - % of primary pupils
Base = 624
| NONE | One | Two | Three | Four |
|---|
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 7% | 20% | 29% | 27% | 18% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 50% | 25% | 11% | 8% | 6% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate, chips) | 5% | 11% | 20% | 25% | 39% |
|---|
Fruit | 37% | 25% | 17% | 11% | 10% |
|---|
Vegetables/salad | 34% | 27% | 19% | 12% | 8% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 27% | 33% | 28% | 11% | 2% |
|---|
Cheese/egg products | 78% | 18% | 4% | - | - |
|---|
Fish/fish fingers | 80% | 18% | 1% | 1% | - |
|---|
Meat/meat dishes | 51% | 34% | 14% | 2% | - |
|---|
Soup | 80% | 17% | 2% | 1% | - |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 34% | 23% | 18% | 13% | 12% |
|---|
Water | 53% | 24% | 10% | 6% | 7% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 44% | 22% | 14% | 12% | 8% |
|---|
Nothing to eat after school | 90% | 6% | 3% | 1% | * |
|---|
Nothing to drink after school | 88% | 10% | 2% | 1% | * |
|---|
Percentages do not all add up to 100 due to rounding
* = less than 1%; - = 0
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - primary schools
5.12 As well as analysing what pupils ate when they were at school, an important element of the research was to determine what pupils ate outwith school hours, as this has important effects on how pupils view healthy eating and thus can affect the whole school approach to healthy eating. The types of food and drink that pupils consumed after school are displayed in Table 5.5. The majority of pupils ate (90%) or drank (88%) something every day when they left school. However, around one in ten primary pupils did not eat or did not drink after school on at least one day, echoing the view expressed by catering staff in a small minority of schools that for a few pupils, school lunch might be their only meal of the day.
5.13 The most commonly consumed foods were either fried, high fat, or higher sugar products. Only 5% of pupils did not report eating these foods during the five days covered by the diet diary and four in ten (39%) ate such foods on four days. Other commonly consumed foods were products from group 1 such as pasta, rice and potatoes, with only 7% of pupils not eating these foods during the period covered by the diet diary. In terms of meat fish and alternatives from group 4, processed meats were once again the most often consumed; just under three quarters (73%) ate these products on at least one day during the fieldwork period. Just over half the pupils (51%) did not have any meat or meat dishes during the fieldwork period, although 34% ate these once during the diet diary period. Fish was not such a popular option, with 80% of pupils having no fish at all although 18% of pupils did have fish once. Only 18% of pupils ate cheese or egg products once during the fieldwork and only 22% ate such products at all during the five days.
5.14 Fruit consumption was a little lower in the evenings than that recorded at lunchtime (63% evening; 76% lunchtime on at least one day). In contrast, vegetables were consumed more often in the evening than at lunchtime (67%and 31% ate vegetables on at least one day out of the five respectively). Around a third of pupils ate no fruit (37%) and a similar proportion (33%) had no vegetables or salad in the evening during the period covered by the diet diary. However, a quarter of pupils ate fruit once, a further 17% had fruit twice, and 10% of pupils had fruit every day during the five days covered by the diet diary. Just under a tenth (8%) had vegetables or salad every day, and 27% had them one day. The majority of pupils did not have soup at all (80%), although 17% had soup on one day out of the five.
5.15 Under half of primary pupils (44%) did not have fizzy drinks in the evening at all during the diet diary period. However, 22% drank them on one day, 14% on two days, and 8% every day. Over half (53%) did not drink water on any day in the evening, although 24% had water on one day. Juice was the most commonly reported drink, with only 34% never having this drink in the evening and 12% drinking it every day. Milk and yogurts were taken by half of pupils on at least one day during the period covered by the diet diary.
Special schools
5.16 The diet diaries were also completed by 40 special school pupils. However, rather than pupils completing this diary over the space of a week, they completed the diary for one day. Given the low number of pupils (n = 40), the results are discussed only as proportions.
Before school
5.17 A quarter of pupils did not have anything to eat before school on the one day covered by the diet diary, while just under a third had nothing to drink that day. Seven in ten pupils had either cereal, toast, or bread; just over a third had fruit; a fifth had yogurt or milk and a fifth had either fried, high fat, or high sugar products.
5.18 In terms of drinks: a quarter of pupils had juice; just under a fifth had water and an eighth had tea/coffee. A further eighth of pupils had fizzy drinks for breakfast on the diet diary day.
Morning snack
5.19 Just over a third of special school pupils did not eat anything during the morning on diet diary day. The most commonly consumed foods were high fat or high sugar foods, with a half of pupils eating these foods during the morning on the day they completed the diet diary. Fruit, milk, and yogurts were consumed by less than a tenth of pupils. In terms of drinks, around a sixth of pupils had water, one in seven had fizzy drinks, and an eighth had juice.
Lunchtime
5.20 At lunchtime, a tenth of pupils ate a meat dish, and three in ten pupils ate processed meat products. A quarter of pupils ate fried/high fat/high sugar products. Nearly eight in ten ate some form of carbohydrate ( e.g. bread, pasta, rice, potatoes), under a half had soup and an eighth had a cheese or egg product. A quarter had either vegetables or salad at lunchtime. Just over half had milk or a yogurt and just over a third of pupils ate fruit. In terms of drinks: just over four in ten had juice and just under a fifth had water.
After school
5.21 Three quarters of pupils had a carbohydrate product after school, such as bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes. Around a third had meat or a meat dish, and around a sixth had a processed meat product. A tenth had cheese or egg products, and just under a tenth had fish or fish fingers. Over half the pupils had fruit, and over a third had vegetables or salad.
5.22 The most commonly consumed foods were either fried, high fat, or high sugar foods with over three quarters of pupils having these on the day they completed the diet diary. Just over four in ten pupils had fizzy drinks.
5.23 Over a third of pupils had yogurt or milk, just over a fifth had water and one in seven pupils drank juice.
Secondary schools
5.24 Pupils in secondary schools were asked to complete diet diaries for one day. The results are displayed in the tables below.
Table 5.6: Proportion of pupils who consumed particular types of food/drink before school - % of secondary pupils
Base = 1487
Bread/cereal | 67% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 26% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 4% |
|---|
Fruit | 14% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 1% |
|---|
Cheese/egg products | 2% |
|---|
Meat/meat dishes | 2% |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 31% |
|---|
Water | 22% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 11% |
|---|
Tea/coffee | 16% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at before school | 22% |
|---|
Nothing to drink before school | 13% |
|---|
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - secondary schools
5.25 Table 5.6 displays the types of food and drink that secondary pupils consumed before they arrived at school. A significant proportion of pupils (22%) had not eaten a breakfast on the day of fieldwork, and 13% of pupils had not drunk anything. The most common foods eaten by pupils were carbohydrate options, such as cereal and toast (67%). Around a quarter (26%) consumed yogurt or milk, and 14% ate fruit. In terms of drinks, 31% of pupils had drunk juice, 22% had had water, and 16% of pupils had had tea or coffee. Just over a tenth of pupils had had fizzy drinks for breakfast.
Table 5.7: Proportion of pupils who consume particular types of food/drink at school during the morning - % of pupils
Base = 1487
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 9% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 4% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 49% |
|---|
Fruit | 10% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 2% |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 8% |
|---|
Juice drink | 1% |
|---|
Water | 36% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 19% |
|---|
Tea/coffee | 1% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at school during morning | 32% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at school during morning | 32% |
|---|
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - secondary schools
5.26 Table 5.7 displays the types of food and drink consumed by pupils throughout the morning. Just under a third of pupils (32%) had not eaten anything, with the same proportion of pupils not drinking anything during the morning on the diet diary day. The largest percentage of pupils had eaten either fried, high fat, or high sugar foods (49%). Other foods consumed included fruit (10%) and carbohydrate foods (9%). Water consumption was encouraged in most secondary schools, in some schools even during class time. Over a third of pupils had drunk water (36%) during the morning. Just under a fifth of pupils (19%) had had fizzy drinks during the morning.
Table 5.8: Proportion of pupils who consume particular types of food/drink at lunch - % of secondary pupils
Base = 1487
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 44% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 9% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 58% |
|---|
Fruit | 12% |
|---|
Vegetables/salad | 6% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 15% |
|---|
Cheese/egg products | 7% |
|---|
Fish/Fish fingers | 3% |
|---|
Meat/meat dishes | 7% |
|---|
Soup | 3% |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 15% |
|---|
Juice drink | 3% |
|---|
Water | 36% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 36% |
|---|
Tea/coffee | 2% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at lunch | 4% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at lunch | 6% |
|---|
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - secondary schools
5.27 Table 5.8 reveals that the food type most commonly eaten by pupils at lunchtime on the day of fieldwork was fried, high fat, or high sugar products (58%). Carbohydrate products such as bread, potatoes or pasta were the next most common foods, with 44% of pupils eating this at lunchtime. Fifteen per cent of pupils had eaten some form of processed meat, 7% had eaten either a cheese or egg product, and 7% had eaten a meat dish.
5.28 Consumption of fruit and vegetables was not as common. Only 6% of pupils had eaten either vegetables or salad, with 12% eating some type of fruit. Just under a tenth had consumed milk or yogurt (9%) and only 3% had eaten soup.
5.29 In terms of drinks, the same proportion of pupils drank water and fizzy drinks at lunchtime (36%) while 15% drank juice.
Table 5.9: Proportion of pupils who consume particular types of food/drink at school during the afternoon - % of secondary pupils
Base = 1487
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles | 2% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 2% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 21% |
|---|
Fruit | 6% |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 5% |
|---|
Water | 24% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 15% |
|---|
Tea/coffee | 1% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at school during afternoon | 69% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at school during afternoon | 52% |
|---|
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - secondary schools
5.30 The majority of pupils did not eat (69%) or drink (52%) anything during the afternoon of fieldwork (see Table 5.9). Just over a fifth of pupils (21%) had eaten high sugar or high fat foods. Around a quarter of pupils (24%) drank water and 15% had had a fizzy drink.
Table 5.10: Proportion of pupils who consume particular types of food/drink after getting home from school - % of secondary pupils
Base = 1487
Bread/cereal/pasta/rice/noodles/potatoes | 62% |
|---|
Yogurt/milk | 23% |
|---|
Fried/High fat/high sugar foods ( e.g. crisps, sweets, chocolate) | 70% |
|---|
Fruit | 47% |
|---|
Vegetables/salad | 49% |
|---|
Processed meats ( e.g. sausages, burgers) | 8% |
|---|
Cheese/egg products | 4% |
|---|
Fish/Fish fingers | 2% |
|---|
Meat/meat dishes | 22% |
|---|
Soup | 4% |
|---|
Juice (including diluting juice) | 30% |
|---|
Water | 35% |
|---|
Fizzy drinks | 36% |
|---|
Tea/coffee | 14% |
|---|
Nothing to eat at lunch | 2% |
|---|
Nothing to drink at lunch | 3% |
|---|
Source: case study school pupils' diet diaries - secondary schools
5.31 Table 5.10 displays the types of food and drink that pupils consumed after leaving school on the day they completed the diet diary. Often the foods eaten by pupils were unhealthy. For example, the majority of pupils had eaten fried, high sugar, or high fat foods (70%) and a third of pupils had drank fizzy drinks (36%).
5.32 Just under half of pupils had eaten fruit (47%) or vegetables or salad (49%) in the evening. Reported consumption of both fruit and vegetables or salad was much higher in the evening than at lunchtime (12% and 6% respectively).
5.33 In terms of main meals: 62% had eaten some type of carbohydrate product such as pasta, rice or noodles; 22% had eaten a meat dish; and 8% had eaten a processed meat product. In terms of drinks; 36% had had a fizzy drink; 35% had drank water; and 30% of pupils had had juice.