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The purposes of this study were to determine the food intake purchased from the canteens or markets nearby schools; to estimate the percent intakes of energy and nutrients from canteens and markets nearby the schools as a percent of total energy and nutrient intakes; and to evaluate the association between dietary intake of energy and nutrients eaten from school canteens and markets nearby the school and body weight status.

A sample of 398 students, aged 14–18 years, was recruited from schools in Amman/Jordan. Students’ body weights and heights were measured and socio-demographic data and three days food record were collected.

The intakes of boy students from school canteens were significantly higher than those of girls in carbohydrate (g) (125 ± 6 vs 106 ± 6; p = 0.015), energy from saturated fatty acid (Kcal) (97 ± 4 vs 84 ± 5; p = 0.006), sugar (g) (43 ± 3 vs 35 ± 2; p = 0.009) and fiber (g) (6 ± 0 vs 6 ± 0; p = 0.02). Regarding food groups consumed from markets nearby schools, there were significant differences between boys and girls intake (in which the higher intake was detected in girls as compared to boys) of sweets (g) (4 ± 1 vs 3 ± 2; p = 0.017), soft drinks (ml) (28 ± 5 vs 20 ± 5; p = 0.024) and milk (ml)/milk substitutes (g) (5 ± 2 vs 0 ± 0; p = 0.001). Sugar-sweetened beverages and crackers/snacks consumption was significantly higher in boys as compared to girls. There was a significant relationship between BMI and intakes of sugar, fat, vitamin E and calcium from school canteens.

The contribution of foods from canteens and markets nearby schools was high, with high content of fats, salt and sugar, implying that there is a vital need to establish a strategy and plan of action to fight malnutrition and reduce the intake of unhealthy foods in the school environment in Jordan.

This study aimed to estimate sodium and potassium intakes in a selected sample of Jordan University students and employees, to determine the main sources of sodium and potassium in their diets and to compare their intakes with adequate intake (AI), as sodium intakes were found to be high by household budget surveys in Jordan.

A convenient sample of 200 subjects (100 students and 100 employees) from the University of Jordan with an age range of (20-40) years were recruited. The nutritional evaluation of sodium and potassium was done using three-day food records. Foods were analyzed for sodium and potassium using a food analysis program.

Findings of the present study indicated that the intakes of sodium (5176 ± 2,841 mg) exceeded that of AI and that the intakes of potassium (2841 ± 990 mg) were below the AI. The main food sources for sodium were table salt, Jordanian bread and fast foods and sandwiches and for potassium were falafel, Kabsa and hummus.

It is also clear that table salt, bread, fast foods were among the top food sources of sodium in Jordanian diet and any national strategy to lower sodium intake should take these into consideration together with upgrading of the educational level of the population.