Factors differentiating participants and non-participants of the National School Lunch Program. I. Nutrient intake of high school students.

Dietary recalls were used to assess the impact of the school lunch program on nutrient intakes of two groups of tenth and eleventh grade students: Those who were frequent participants in the school lunch program and those who infrequently or never participated. Both boys and girls who participated had better total diet and lunch ratings than did non-participants. Iron was the only nutrient notably low in participants' lunch intakes; non-participants failed to consume at least one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for calories and all nutrients except protein.