Effects of milk or water on lunch intake in preschool children.

In Sweden, milk and milk products are important sources of daily energy intake but the role of milk with preschool lunch meals has been debated frequently and water is often alternatively given today. We studied the effects of milk or water on lunch energy intake. Water or milk alternatively was served in a controlled, within-subject design on 12 occasions to 36 children aged 4-6 years, and energy intake was analysed at an individual level in three typical preschool lunches with a varying degree of preference among the children. When milk was given with the meals, a mean additional energy intake of 17% (p<0.0001) was found. The pattern was similar among boys and girls and irrespective of the lunch dish served. However, for the least preferred dish (fish with potatoes) milk helped to increase the energy intake by 26%. Physical activity measured as MET units (energy expenditure/body weight), atmosphere at the table as registered by a three-graded scale, and meal duration did not differ with meals or milk/water. Milk with preschool lunch meals seems to be a significant source of energy to achieve nutritional goals for this group of children.

[Eating habits of school children. School meals in Swedish primary schools]. / Skolbarns matvanor. Skolmåltider i den svenska grundskolan.

Since the mid 1940's cooked lunches have been served in Swedish schools. Several investigations executed in recent years show that many school-children skimp increasingly on their school lunches the older they become. A study of some 1,900 senior school pupils in Sweden revealed that about 47 per cent ate very little or nothing at all; this was particularly true of girls and working class children. For one pupil in four the total food intake seemed inadequate since both breakfast and dinner were manifestly insufficient. The article suggests improvements of school meal routines, suggestions which can be realized without major expenditure.

Radiation doses due to long-range transport of airborne radionuclides released by a reactor accident--effects of changing dispersion conditions during transport.

This paper presents a model for the estimation of radiation doses due to long-range transport of airborne radioactive material released into the atmosphere by a reactor accident. The paper includes examples of calculated doses in situations where the weather changes during the transport path. These examples show that changing dispersion conditions, such as rain, may bring about considerable changes in the individual doses. Short-term changes in turbulence, mixing depth and wind speed during the transport path also have a strong influence on doses.