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Snack Expenditure and Nutritional Status in Chilean Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Southern Region
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Snack Expenditure and Nutritional Status in Chilean Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Southern Region
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Journal Article
Snack Expenditure and Nutritional Status in Chilean Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Southern Region
2025
Overview
Background and Objective: The availability of money to purchase food within the school setting has been identified as a factor associated with children’s nutritional status. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between spending on snacks and the nutritional status of Chilean schoolchildren living in a region in the far south. Methods: This was a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study. A total of 596 schoolchildren and adolescents (12.1 ± 1.3 years) from three public schools in the Magallanes Region, Chile, participated. Nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI) for age, and a validated questionnaire was applied to assess frequency and type of food purchases within the school environment. To determine associations, ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Among boys, 25.8% were overweight, 36.4% with obesity, and 8.6% severely with obesity; among girls, 34.9% were overweight, 30.5% with obesity, and 5.5% severely with obesity. The average snack expenditure was 642.7 ± 658 CLP (Approximately USD 0.67). Weekly purchase frequency was once in 29.5% and twice in 26.9% of cases (p < 0.001), with no differences across BMI categories (ANOVA p = 0.469). Food preferences were unhealthy snacks in 46.5% and healthy snacks in 24.0% of cases, with no association with nutritional status (χ2 = 6.073; df = 10; p = 0.728). Conclusion: Although no direct association was found between snack spending and nutritional status, high consumption of unhealthy foods reflects a persistent risk. The results highlight the importance of strengthening public and educational policies regarding school meals. A comprehensive approach is needed that combines regulation, nutrition education, and family involvement. This study provides novel evidence for the design of interventions in southern and isolated regions.
Publisher
MDPI AG
Subject
