Dietary habits of high school students in technical education: adherence and associated factors

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Abstract

In recent decades, Brazil has made progress in indicators related to access to food. Nevertheless, hunger remains a relevant issue in the school context, reinforcing the importance of school meals for students’ nutrition. In this context, the present study aimed to map the eating habits of students enrolled in Integrated Technical High School Programs at the Instituto Federal de Santa Catarina, Canoinhas campus, regarding breakfast consumption, adherence to school meals, and lunch intake, as well as to identify factors associated with their consumption or omission. A total of 115 students participated in the study. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics, eating habits at home, adherence to school meals, and perceptions and suggestions regarding the meals offered. Subsequently, data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binomial logistic regression. It was observed that, when attending the campus on a full-time schedule, most students ate lunch (95.7%). However, 29.6% of participants reported skipping breakfast. Furthermore, it was found that: (i) female students were 65% less likely to consume breakfast compared to male students; (ii) students enrolled in the Food Technical Program were 50% less likely to consume foods offered by the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE); and (iii) these same students were 5.68 times more likely to eat lunch. The results highlight the need for educational actions directed at high school students and their guardians, focusing on the promotion of adequate eating practices aimed at supporting physical development and academic performance.