Sensory Quality and Students’ Intention to Consume Free Nutritious Meals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Makassar, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61099/jih.v2i3.486Keywords:
Adolescent, Food Preferences, Nutritious Food, School FeedingAbstract
Introduction: The Free Nutritious Meal Program aims to improve students’ nutritional intake, health, and learning capacity. However, its effectiveness depends substantially on students’ acceptance of and willingness to consume the meals provided. This study examined the associations between menu variety, taste, aroma, texture, and food appearance and students’ intention to consume free nutritious meals at SMA Negeri 6 Makassar.
Research Methodology: This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2026. A total of 182 students in Grades X and XI were selected from a population of 667 students using simple random sampling. Data were collected through observation and a validated and reliable questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used, with statistical significance set at α=0.05.
Results: Of the participants, 177 (97.3%) expressed an intention to consume the meals. Students’ consumption intention was significantly associated with menu variety (OR=42.75; 95% CI: 5.99–305.24; p=0.001), taste (OR=131.25; 95% CI: 13.59–1,267.96; p<0.001), food aroma (OR=17.46; 95% CI: 2.69–113.39; p=0.006), food texture (OR=28.83; 95% CI: 3.73–222.96; p=0.009), and food appearance (OR=264.00; 95% CI: 18.50–3,766.54; p<0.001).
Conclusion: All assessed dimensions of food quality were significantly associated with students’ intention to consume free nutritious meals. Program managers should prioritize sensory evaluation, menu diversification, standardized food preparation, and visually appealing presentation to strengthen meal acceptance and program effectiveness.
Downloads
References
1. Ziraldo ER, Ahmed M, Mulligan C, Sellen DW, L’Abbé MR. Nutrient intakes of Canadian children and adolescents at school by meal occasion and location of food preparation. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2025;50:1-12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2024-0027
2. Wang D, Katalambula LK, Modest AR, et al. Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Trial of an Adolescent Nutrition Intervention Package in Tanzania. J Adolesc Heal. 2024;75(1):115-126. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.02.032
3. Sree S, Palanisamy B, Sivakumar SP. Understanding the influencing factors of adolescents’ (12–17) healthy and unhealthy food choices and experiences in Tamil Nadu, India: a socioecological perspective. Appetite. 2025;214:108164. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2025.108164
4. Silva JM da, Delgrossi ME, Pantoja MJ. Food quality perceptions and agreements: Case of local purchases from family farmers for school feeding program in the Federal District of Brazil. J Rural Stud. 2023;101:103069. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103069
5. Sheikh S, Barolia R, Habib A, Azam I, Qureshi R, Iqbal R. “If the food is finished after my brother eats then we (girls) sleep hungry.” Food insecurity and dietary diversity among slum-dwelling adolescent girls and boys in Pakistan: A mixed methods study. Appetite. 2024;195:107212. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107212
6. Shahdan S, Sidek S. The influence of family characteristics on food parenting practices among parents with school-age children and adolescents: A systematic review. Appetite. 2025;210:107979. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.107979
7. Reynolds EC, Nsiah-Asamoah C, Okronipa H, Russell NF, Habib M, Stewart CP. Drivers of Food Decision Making and Aspirations for the Future of the School Food Environment among Junior High School Students in Cape Coast, Ghana: a Photovoice Study. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025;9(5):106009. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.106009
8. Pickard A, Croker H, Edwards K, et al. Identifying an avid eating profile in childhood: Associations with temperament, feeding practices and food insecurity. Appetite. 2023;191:107050. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107050
9. Panchalingam T, Howard G, Allen Klaiber H, Roe BE. Food choice behavior of adolescents under parent-child interaction in the context of US school lunch programs. Food Policy. 2023;115:102420. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2023.102420
10. Palladino M, Cafiero C, Sensi R. Understanding adolescents’ lived experience of food poverty. A multi-method study among food aid recipient families in Italy. Glob Food Sec. 2024;41:100762. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2024.100762
11. Newton E, Poelman A, Mills C, Fleming CAK. Sensory processing considerations in Australian paediatric feeding guidelines: A scoping review. Appetite. 2025;214:108174. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108174
12. Ma R, Wang X, Gong YY, Ensaff H. The home food environment for children in Northern China. Appetite. 2025;214:108175. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108175
13. Lobley K, Youde LS, Vandervliet L, et al. Responsive feeding, diabetes management, weight status and diet quality in a culturally diverse group of 1–5-year-old Australian children with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025;227:112402. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112402
14. Leblang D, Smith MD, Wesselbaum D. Food insecurity across age: Evidence from a global study. Glob Food Sec. 2025;47:100891. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100891
15. Kasujja I, Lund C, Salisbury TT. Food insecurity and mental health among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2025;177:108493. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108493
16. Goulart F, Sant’Anna V, Almli VL, Tolotti Maschio G. Can children and artificial intelligence be sources of ideas for school meal preparations based on whole food utilization? Food Qual Prefer. 2025;123:105349. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105349
17. González-Salgado I de L, Rivera-Navarro J, Díez J, Gravina L. School principals’ perceptions of adolescents’ eating behaviors in two Spanish cities: a qualitative study based on the neo-ecological theory. Appetite. 2025;212:108013. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.108013
18. Eicher-Miller HA, Graves L, McGowan B, et al. A Scoping Review of Household Factors Contributing to Dietary Quality and Food Security in Low-Income Households with School-Age Children in the United States. Adv Nutr. 2023;14(4):914-945. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2023.05.006
19. Dzvukamanja ST, Chopera P, Matsungo TM. The prevalence and determinants of food neophobia among adolescents and young adults in Zimbabwe. Appl Food Res. 2025;5(1):100840. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.100840
20. Bolka A, Bosha T, Gebremedhin S. Contribution of school meals to folate and associated nutrients intake among in-school adolescent girls in Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia. Clin Nutr Open Sci. 2025;64:181-191. doi:10.1016/j.nutos.2025.10.004
21. Ameye H, Hülsen V, Glatzel K, Laar A, Qaim M. Urbanizing food environments in Africa: Challenges and opportunities for improving accessibility, affordability, convenience, and desirability of healthy diets. Food Policy. 2025;137:102981. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102981
22. Bliznashka L, Michail MG, Elsabbagh D, et al. Effect of Adding Milk to a Micronutrient-Fortified High-Energy Biscuit School Feeding Programme in Yemen: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2025;155(9):2955-2964. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.06.021
23. Black MM, Bruening MM, Carroll-Scott A, et al. Understanding the Nutrition Ecology and Related Distal and Proximal Research Gaps Impacting School-Aged Children’s and Adolescents’ Functioning—A Report From the “Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development: Knowledge Indicating Dietary Sufficiency (BOND-KIDS)” Project Working Group 2. J Nutr. Published online 2025:101207. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.10.020
24. Aslanyan L, Demirchyan A. Barriers to healthy eating practices among school-aged children in Armenia: A qualitative study. Appetite. 2024;202:107649. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2024.107649
25. Promoting Food Security Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. J Adolesc Heal. 2025;76(1):166-172. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.09.024
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Suci Sagita Ramadhani Fadly, Jalil Genisa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Statement:
The authors retain the copyright of this work and grant Journal Interdisciplinary Health the right of first publication. The work is simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the initial publication in this journal are properly credited.
The authors are permitted to copy and redistribute the published version of the work, including posting it to an institutional repository or including it in a book, with acknowledgment of its initial publication in Journal Interdisciplinary Health.
Similar Articles
- ZulHijeria Tamrin, Diana Mirja Togubu, Musfirah Musfirah, Exploring menstrual personal hygiene behavior among adolescent girls: A qualitative study , Journal Interdisciplinary Health: Vol. 2 No. 3 (2026): Journal Interdisciplinary Health
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
