Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet

Camilla Trab Damsgaard; Stine-Mathilde Dalskov; Rikke A Petersen; Louise B Sørensen; Christian Mølgaard; Anja Biltoft-Jensen; Rikke Andersen; Anne Thorsen; Inge Tetens; Anders Sjödin; Mads F Hjorth; Ditte Vassard; Jørgen D Jensen; Niels Egelund; Camilla Brørup Dyssegaard; Ib Skovgaard; Arne Astrup; Kim F. Michaelsen

doi:10.1177/1403494812463173

Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet

Camilla Trab Damsgaard, Stine-Mathilde Dalskov, Rikke A Petersen, Louise B Sørensen, Christian Mølgaard, Anja Biltoft-Jensen, Rikke Andersen, Anne Thorsen, Inge Tetens, Anders Sjödin, Mads F Hjorth, Ditte Vassard, Jørgen D Jensen, Niels Egelund, Camilla Brørup Dyssegaard, Ib Skovgaard, Arne Astrup, Kim F. Michaelsen

56 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: Danish children consume too much sugar and not enough whole grain, fish, fruit, and vegetables. The Nordic region is rich in such foods with a strong health-promoting potential. We lack randomised controlled trials that investigate the developmental and health impact of serving school meals based on Nordic foods. Aim: This paper describes the rationale, design, study population, and potential implications of the Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study. Methods: In a cluster-randomised cross-over design, 1021 children from 3rd and 4th grades (8–11 years old) at nine Danish municipal schools were invited to participate. Classes were assigned to two 3-month periods with free school meals based on the New Nordic Diet (NND) or their usual packed lunch (control). Dietary intake, nutrient status, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep, growth, body composition, early metabolic and cardiovascular risk markers, illness, absence from school, wellbeing, cognitive function, social and cultural features, food acceptance, waste, and cost were assessed. Results: In total, 834 children (82% of those invited) participated. Although their parents were slightly better educated than the background population, children from various socioeconomic backgrounds were included. The proportion of overweight and obese children (14%) resembled that of earlier examinations of Danish school children. Drop out was 8.3%. Conclusions: A high inclusion rate and low drop out rate was achieved. This study will be the first to determine whether school meals based on the NND improve children’s diet, health, growth, cognitive performance, and early disease risk markers.

Original language	English
Journal	Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
Volume	40
Issue number	8
Pages (from-to)	693-703
Number of pages	11
ISSN	1403-4948
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494812463173
Publication status	Published - Dec 2012

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10.1177/1403494812463173

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Damsgaard, C. T., Dalskov, S-M., Petersen, R. A., Sørensen, L. B., Mølgaard, C., Biltoft-Jensen, A., Andersen, R., Thorsen, A., Tetens, I., Sjödin, A., Hjorth, M. F., Vassard, D., Jensen, J. D., Egelund, N., Dyssegaard, C. B., Skovgaard, I., Astrup, A., & Michaelsen, K. F. (2012). Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 40(8), 693-703. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494812463173

Design of the OPUS School Meal Study : A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet. / Damsgaard, Camilla Trab; Dalskov, Stine-Mathilde; Petersen, Rikke A et al.

In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 40, No. 8, 12.2012, p. 693-703.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Damsgaard, CT, Dalskov, S-M, Petersen, RA, Sørensen, LB, Mølgaard, C, Biltoft-Jensen, A, Andersen, R, Thorsen, A, Tetens, I , Sjödin, A , Hjorth, MF , Vassard, D , Jensen, JD, Egelund, N, Dyssegaard, CB, Skovgaard, I, Astrup, A & Michaelsen, KF 2012, 'Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet', Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, vol. 40, no. 8, pp. 693-703. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494812463173

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title = "Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet",

abstract = "Introduction: Danish children consume too much sugar and not enough whole grain, fish, fruit, and vegetables. The Nordic region is rich in such foods with a strong health-promoting potential. We lack randomised controlled trials that investigate the developmental and health impact of serving school meals based on Nordic foods. Aim: This paper describes the rationale, design, study population, and potential implications of the Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study. Methods: In a cluster-randomised cross-over design, 1021 children from 3rd and 4th grades (8–11 years old) at nine Danish municipal schools were invited to participate. Classes were assigned to two 3-month periods with free school meals based on the New Nordic Diet (NND) or their usual packed lunch (control). Dietary intake, nutrient status, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep, growth, body composition, early metabolic and cardiovascular risk markers, illness, absence from school, wellbeing, cognitive function, social and cultural features, food acceptance, waste, and cost were assessed. Results: In total, 834 children (82% of those invited) participated. Although their parents were slightly better educated than the background population, children from various socioeconomic backgrounds were included. The proportion of overweight and obese children (14%) resembled that of earlier examinations of Danish school children. Drop out was 8.3%. Conclusions: A high inclusion rate and low drop out rate was achieved. This study will be the first to determine whether school meals based on the NND improve children{\textquoteright}s diet, health, growth, cognitive performance, and early disease risk markers.",

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T2 - A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet

AU - Damsgaard, Camilla Trab

AU - Dalskov, Stine-Mathilde

AU - Petersen, Rikke A

AU - Sørensen, Louise B

AU - Mølgaard, Christian

AU - Biltoft-Jensen, Anja

AU - Andersen, Rikke

AU - Thorsen, Anne

AU - Tetens, Inge

AU - Sjödin, Anders

AU - Hjorth, Mads F

AU - Vassard, Ditte

AU - Jensen, Jørgen D

AU - Egelund, Niels

AU - Dyssegaard, Camilla Brørup

AU - Skovgaard, Ib

AU - Astrup, Arne

AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.

N1 - IHE 2012 034

PY - 2012/12

Y1 - 2012/12

N2 - Introduction: Danish children consume too much sugar and not enough whole grain, fish, fruit, and vegetables. The Nordic region is rich in such foods with a strong health-promoting potential. We lack randomised controlled trials that investigate the developmental and health impact of serving school meals based on Nordic foods. Aim: This paper describes the rationale, design, study population, and potential implications of the Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study. Methods: In a cluster-randomised cross-over design, 1021 children from 3rd and 4th grades (8–11 years old) at nine Danish municipal schools were invited to participate. Classes were assigned to two 3-month periods with free school meals based on the New Nordic Diet (NND) or their usual packed lunch (control). Dietary intake, nutrient status, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep, growth, body composition, early metabolic and cardiovascular risk markers, illness, absence from school, wellbeing, cognitive function, social and cultural features, food acceptance, waste, and cost were assessed. Results: In total, 834 children (82% of those invited) participated. Although their parents were slightly better educated than the background population, children from various socioeconomic backgrounds were included. The proportion of overweight and obese children (14%) resembled that of earlier examinations of Danish school children. Drop out was 8.3%. Conclusions: A high inclusion rate and low drop out rate was achieved. This study will be the first to determine whether school meals based on the NND improve children’s diet, health, growth, cognitive performance, and early disease risk markers.

AB - Introduction: Danish children consume too much sugar and not enough whole grain, fish, fruit, and vegetables. The Nordic region is rich in such foods with a strong health-promoting potential. We lack randomised controlled trials that investigate the developmental and health impact of serving school meals based on Nordic foods. Aim: This paper describes the rationale, design, study population, and potential implications of the Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study. Methods: In a cluster-randomised cross-over design, 1021 children from 3rd and 4th grades (8–11 years old) at nine Danish municipal schools were invited to participate. Classes were assigned to two 3-month periods with free school meals based on the New Nordic Diet (NND) or their usual packed lunch (control). Dietary intake, nutrient status, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep, growth, body composition, early metabolic and cardiovascular risk markers, illness, absence from school, wellbeing, cognitive function, social and cultural features, food acceptance, waste, and cost were assessed. Results: In total, 834 children (82% of those invited) participated. Although their parents were slightly better educated than the background population, children from various socioeconomic backgrounds were included. The proportion of overweight and obese children (14%) resembled that of earlier examinations of Danish school children. Drop out was 8.3%. Conclusions: A high inclusion rate and low drop out rate was achieved. This study will be the first to determine whether school meals based on the NND improve children’s diet, health, growth, cognitive performance, and early disease risk markers.

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DO - 10.1177/1403494812463173

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SN - 1403-4948

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JO - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

JF - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

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ER -

Design of the OPUS School Meal Study: A randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of serving school meals based on the New Nordic Diet

Abstract

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