The relationship between desired physique and school lunch food waste among junior high school students

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between desired physique and school lunch food waste among junior high school students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 887 junior high school second graders in Kumamoto Prefecture. Of these, 716 valid responses were analyzed. Data were collected for basic demographic information, height, weight, food waste during lunchtime, desired physique, subjective length of school lunchtime, and school lunch preference. Food waste during lunchtime was the dependent variable, and desired physique (no desired physique, desire for a thin physique, or desire for a well-built physique) was the independent variable. We conducted a logistic regression analysis. Model 1 was not adjusted, model 2 was adjusted for basic demographic characteristics and school lunch service (individual school kitchen/central kitchen), and model 3 was adjusted for basic demographic characteristics, degree of obesity, subjective length of school lunchtime, and preference of school lunch as control variables.

Results: In total, 68 males and 136 females left the school lunch. In Model 3, desired physique was not related to food waste during lunchtime for male students. In contrast, desire for thinness was associated with food waste during lunchtime (adjusted odds ratio is 1.92, 95% CI is [1.07, 3.46]) for female students.

Conclusion: The desire for thinness was associated with food waste during lunchtime among female students. Health education needs to include discussions about desired physique, especially among female students.