Effectiveness of an intervention program to improve the nutritional quality of lunchboxes in elementary school children

The intervention will be based on information about healthy food and nutrients that should be included in the lunchbox. This will be implemented during an eight week period. At the beginning of the study the food and nutrient content of the lunchboxes will be assessed. Posters for children and parents with information to improve the content of school lunchbox will be displayed at the school and leaflets will be distributed to the parents and their children. During the first week, the importance of drinking water will be emphasized; in the second week, it will be focused on the inclusion of fruits and vegetables, in the third week, how to prepare healthy foods will be showed, and in the fourth week, information about prepared dishes and unhealthy foods will be given. The following four weeks letters with menus for breakfast, lunchbox contents and healthy food will be sent home. After the eight weeks of intervention the food and nutrient content of the lunchboxes will be assessed.