Comparative characteristics of the daily food package for schoolchildren in Kyrgyzstan

Nutrition is a key factor in the health and well-being of children, affecting their growth and development. In modern conditions, many children face a deficiency of nutrients, which negatively affects their health. Objective: to provide a hygienic characteristic of the daily food set of school-age children and adolescents living in different regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. Materials and methods. A study of the daily food set of 4877 schoolchildren aged 7 to 17 years living in different regions of the republic was conducted using hygienic, epidemiological and statistical methods. Results. Data on food consumption by schoolchildren in different regions of the Kyrgyz Republic show that the consumption of animal products is significantly lower than the recommended norms, with pronounced regional differences. In particular, 52.3% of schoolchildren in the south and 50.4% of the northern regions have a deficiency in meat consumption, and 59.0% of children in the northern regions experience a deficiency of dairy products. In the food sets of schoolchildren, grain products accounted for 38.4% of the total diet. Gender differences in the consumption of the main food groups were established. Conclusions. Analysis of the daily diet of schoolchildren revealed insufficient consumption of biologically valuable products, which indicates a quantitatively and qualitatively unbalanced diet