School lunch tray with an imbalance of fast food and healthy options.

Rural Adolescents and Weight: Is School Food a Factor?

Reese Marlowe in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 5 min read.

"New study examines if school meals contribute to overweight issues in rural Rio de Janeiro teens, revealing surprising trends."

School meal programs play a crucial role in supporting the nutritional needs of students, especially those from low-income families. These programs aim to provide balanced meals, encourage healthy eating habits, prevent school dropouts, and correct common dietary deficiencies that can negatively impact a child's physical and mental health, as well as their academic performance. For many students, school meals may be their only reliable source of daily nutrition.

Recognizing the importance of school meal programs, Brazil has implemented laws mandating educational initiatives that integrate nutrition into the school curriculum. These initiatives promote healthy living and aim to ensure food security for all students. Food security means guaranteeing consistent access to quality food in sufficient quantities, while respecting cultural diversity and environmental sustainability. However, food insecurity can lead to poor dietary choices and negatively affect a student's nutritional status.

While malnutrition has historically been a concern in rural areas, recent studies have shown a growing trend of overweight and obesity among adolescents, even surpassing rates in urban areas. This shift highlights the need to examine the effectiveness of current school meal programs in addressing these evolving nutritional challenges, particularly in rural communities where access to diverse and healthy food options may be limited.

Are School Meals Contributing to Overweight?

School lunch tray with an imbalance of fast food and healthy options.

A recent study explored the nutritional status and eating habits of adolescents attending rural schools in Carmo, Rio de Janeiro. Researchers assessed the nutritional content and acceptability of school meals, the students' overall nutritional status, and the food security of their families. The study aimed to determine whether school meal programs were adequately meeting the nutritional needs of these students or inadvertently contributing to weight issues.

The study involved 121 adolescents from seven public schools in the rural area. Researchers used direct weighing to calculate the average portions of food offered in school meals. They also used validated questionnaires to assess food security and how well students accepted the school meals. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to determine the nutritional status.

Surprising Overweight Rates: The study revealed that 28.9% of the adolescents were overweight or obese, a rate comparable to urban areas. Only a small percentage were underweight (1.7%) or had stunted growth (0.8%).
Nutrient Imbalances: School meals generally provided more nutrients than recommended, except for fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium. The meals also tended to be high in calories.
Food Insecurity and School Meals: A significant majority (92%) of students from food-insecure households relied on school meals, and none of these students were underweight or had stunted growth.

These findings suggest that while school meals are preventing undernutrition, they may not be effectively addressing the rising rates of overweight and obesity. The high calorie content and lack of essential nutrients like fiber and vitamin C could be contributing factors.

Time for a Fresh Look at School Meal Programs?

The study's results emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach to school meal programs in rural areas. Simply providing enough calories is not enough; the focus must shift to offering balanced meals rich in essential nutrients and lower in calories.

Increased emphasis on nutrition education for both students and their families is also crucial. By teaching adolescents about healthy eating habits and the importance of making informed food choices, they can be empowered to take control of their health and well-being.

Ultimately, the goal is to create school meal programs that not only address food insecurity but also promote healthy weight and prevent chronic diseases. By carefully planning school meals and prioritizing nutritious food options, schools can play a vital role in shaping the long-term health of their students.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1590/s1414-462x2013000200016, Alternate LINK

Title: Excesso De Peso Entre Adolescentes Em Zona Rural E A Alimentação Escolar Oferecida

Subject: Pharmacology (medical)

Journal: Cadernos Saúde Coletiva

Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)

Authors: Mariana Simões Barros, Vania Matos Fonseca, Maria Dalva Barbosa Baker Meio, Célia Regina Chaves

Published: 2013-06-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is the primary purpose of school meal programs, and how are they intended to benefit students?

School meal programs in rural Brazil, as implemented, are designed to address students' nutritional needs by providing them with balanced meals. The goal is to support healthy eating habits, prevent school dropouts, and correct dietary deficiencies, thereby positively impacting a child's physical and mental health, and academic performance. However, a recent study highlights that the high-calorie content and nutrient imbalances, such as a lack of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium, might contribute to weight issues among adolescents. These programs are crucial for students, particularly from low-income families, as they may be their only reliable source of daily nutrition.

What methods did the researchers use to conduct the study on adolescents?

The study used several methods to assess the adolescents. Researchers assessed the nutritional content and acceptability of school meals and the students' overall nutritional status. The research involved 121 adolescents from seven public schools in Carmo, Rio de Janeiro. Direct weighing was used to calculate average portions of food offered. Validated questionnaires were used to assess food security and school meal acceptance. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to determine the nutritional status, revealing that 28.9% of the adolescents were overweight or obese.

What were the main goals of the study about school meals in rural areas?

The study investigated the nutritional status and eating habits of adolescents attending rural schools in Carmo, Rio de Janeiro. It explored the role of school meals in these students' lives. The aim was to discover if the school meal programs adequately met students' nutritional needs or were inadvertently contributing to weight issues, particularly in rural communities. The study discovered that although school meals prevent undernutrition, they may not effectively address the rising rates of overweight and obesity.

What are the key findings of the study regarding the nutritional status of adolescents and the impact of school meals?

The study's findings reveal that 28.9% of adolescents were overweight or obese, a rate that is similar to those in urban areas. It also showed a small percentage were underweight (1.7%) or had stunted growth (0.8%). Furthermore, it highlighted that school meals generally provided more nutrients than recommended, with exceptions for fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium. The meals tended to be high in calories. Finally, a significant majority (92%) of students from food-insecure households relied on school meals. These findings suggest that the current school meal programs may need a fresh look.

How does food security relate to the context of school meal programs and the study's findings?

Food security is the state in which all people have consistent access to quality food in sufficient quantities, while respecting cultural diversity and environmental sustainability. In the context of this study, food insecurity was assessed among the students' families. A significant majority (92%) of students from food-insecure households relied on school meals. The study's findings suggest that school meals prevent undernutrition among these students. Brazil has implemented laws mandating educational initiatives that integrate nutrition into the school curriculum to ensure food security for all students.