Preventing Chronic Disease | Nutritional Assessment of Free Meal Programs in San Francisco - CDC

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Preventing Chronic Disease | Nutritional Assessment of Free Meal Programs in San Francisco - CDC

Nutritional Assessment of Free Meal Programs in San Francisco

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• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References
• Table

Courtney R. Lyles, PhD; Soledad Drago-Ferguson, MPH; Andrea Lopez, BS; Hilary K. Seligman, MD, MAS

Suggested citation for this article: Lyles CR, Drago-Ferguson S, Lopez A, Seligman HK. Nutritional Assessment of Free Meal Programs in San Francisco. Prev Chronic Dis 2013;10:120301. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd10.120301.

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Abstract

Free meals often serve as a primary food source for adults living in poverty, particularly the homeless. We conducted a nutritional analysis of 22 meals from 6 free meal sites in San Francisco to determine macronutrient and micronutrient content. Meals provided too little fiber and too much fat but appropriate levels of cholesterol. They were also below target for potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and E. These findings may inform development of nutritional content standards for free meals, particularly for vulnerable patients who might have, or be at risk of developing, a chronic illness.

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Introduction

Soup kitchens, which serve prepared, generally warm meals and a setting in which to eat, often serve as the primary food source for homeless and marginally housed people (1). Maximizing the nutritional value of meals is often secondary to the soup kitchen’s mission of providing calories, especially given limited financial resources. The nutritional content of soup kitchen menus have been infrequently examined, but the few existing studies suggest that soup kitchens are inconsistently able to provide nutritionally balanced and healthful meals (2–5).
In addition to having unmet nutritional needs (6,7), homeless adults have more difficulty accessing health care than adults who are not homeless and disproportionally suffer from poor health and chronic disease, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease (8). Therefore, understanding the nutritional content of free meals is important for this population.

Evaluación nutricional de los programas de comidas gratuitas en San Francisco

Courtney R. Lyles, PhD; Soledad Drago-Ferguson, MPH; Andrea Lopez, BS; Hilary K. Seligman, MD, MAS

Citación sugerida para este artículo: Lyles CR, Drago-Ferguson S, Lopez A, Seligman HK. Nutritional Assessment of Free Meal Programs in San Francisco. Prev Chronic Dis 2013;10:120301. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd10.120301.

REVISADO POR EXPERTOS

Resumen

Las comidas gratuitas sirven a menudo como la principal fuente de alimentos para los adultos que viven en la pobreza, en particular para los que no tienen un hogar. Realizamos un análisis nutricional a 22 comidas de 6 sitios de comidas gratuitas en San Francisco para determinar el contenido de macro y micronutrientes. Las comidas proporcionaron muy poca fibra y demasiada grasa, pero tenían niveles adecuados de colesterol. Además estaban por debajo de la meta en potasio, calcio, y vitaminas A y E. Estos hallazgos pueden proporcionar información para el establecimiento de estándares de contenido nutricional en las comidas gratuitas, en particular para pacientes vulnerables que puedan tener una enfermedad crónica o el riesgo de presentar una.