In Slovenia, over 90 % of 4–6-year-old children are enrolled in kindergartens, where they consume up to 75 % of their daily energy and nutritional needs. The main purpose of the current research was to evaluate whether 10-day, antioxidant-rich kindergarten meals can contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress biomarkers in healthy children. The study included 57 healthy children aged 5–6 years from 6 kindergartens, randomized into a prototype group (n=40, n=4) and a control group (n=17, n=2). Based on the chemical analysis of the total antioxidant capacity, energy content, macronutrients, and selected elements in individual 5-day kindergarten meals, analyses of consecutive 7-day dietary records inside and outside kindergarten, using a dietary assessment tool (OPEN), and based on laboratory analyses of urine samples before and after the intervention diet, as well as blood samples after the intervention diet, we compared the contribution of the antioxidant-rich kindergarten meals (prototype meals) with the contribution of control kindergarten meals on oxidative stress biomarkers in participants. The results showed that a well-designed and precisely executed antioxidant-rich kindergarten meals contributed to a more optimal intakes of healthy food groups in the participants, enhanced the nutritional quality of prepared meals, and contributed to a higher total intake of dietary antioxidants in healthy participants. All this was reflected in a significant decrease in 8-iso-15-prostaglandin-F-2 alpha in the urine of prototype group participants after intervention and in a significant negative correlation between the intake of dietary antioxidants and serum markers of oxidative stress. Our findings support the provision of antioxidant-rich foods in kindergartens due to their potential health-protective contribution.
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