Evaluation of students' nutrition in Poland based on the data for the year 2001 gathered by the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations

Having used reports from sanitary-epidemiological stations, a situation of schools supplementary nutrition in all types of schools in Poland in the year 2001 has been analyzed. It has been stated, that a hot meal is consumed by 16.1% (1,090,535) of pupils. It has been reported, that schools serving meals probably met demand, but meals were not provided in 65% of schools. In these institutions, creating possibility of serving meals appears to be the most important task on the way to improve pupils nutrition in schools. In 60% of schools such conditions need to be established from the foundation, while in 5% of schools it is enough to make use of existent potential. It has been emphasized, that a pupil of every school should have possibility to have a drink (today it is possible in 32% of schools) as well as to eat a sandwich. Milk products were consumed in 4% of schools and it concerned 2% of pupils. In 40% of schools a pupil could purchase in a grocery articles of consumption, mainly confectionery articles and non-milk drinks. However, pupils should be encouraged and stimulated to purchase in groceries products reinforcing rational nutrition.