Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39808270›Full record

ArticleBundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz2025

[Do basic welfare payments in Germany cover the food costs of a healthy diet for children and adolescents?]

Aziza J Belgardt, Mathilde Kersting, Kathrin Sinningen, Anjona Schmidt-Choudhury, Frank Jochum, Martin Claßen, Thomas Lücke

Abstract readEnglish Abstract
In one paragraph

Article in Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Aziza J BelgardtForschungsdepartment Kinderernährung (FKE), Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland.
Mathilde KerstingForschungsdepartment Kinderernährung (FKE), Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland.
Kathrin SinningenForschungsdepartment Kinderernährung (FKE), Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland.
Anjona Schmidt-ChoudhuryAbteilung für pädiatrische Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland.
Frank JochumKlinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Ev. Waldkrankenhaus Spandau, Berlin, Deutschland.
Martin ClaßenPädiatrisch-gastroenterologische Praxis, Bremen, Deutschland.
Thomas LückeForschungsdepartment Kinderernährung (FKE), Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Deutschland. thomas.luecke@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFamilies in Germany who live in poverty receive citizens' benefits (Bürgergeld) within the context of welfare legislation. Basic rates for children and adolescents are included in these benefits and staggered into three groups according to age. The need for nutrition is the largest category of the basic rate. The Optimized Mixed Diet (OMD) is a practical concept of a healthy diet for children and adolescents aged 1-18 years. Traditional and home-cooked meals are preferred. The aim of this project was to calculate the food costs of the OMD based on the underlying 7‑day meal plan.

methodsThe lowest shelf prices of 87 different foods from the OMD were recorded during market inspections in different food retailers (1 supermarket, 1 discounter; November 2022, Bochum, Germany). The nutrition basic rate was compared to the total food costs per month in accordance with the age groups of the welfare legislation as well as of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) reference values. Furthermore, the contributions of the food groups were determined based on total costs and total energy intake of the OMD.

resultsThe food costs of the OMD are covered 101-109% by the standard nutritional rate of the citizens' benefits for every age group of the welfare legislation. The costs for the more narrowly defined DGE age groups are covered as well with a few exceptions. The main cost drivers of the OMD were vegetables/raw foods, and the main energy sources were bread/cereal products. DISCUSSION: The current citizens' benefits can cover the nutritional requirement of children and adolescents, provided that meals are self-cooked and low-priced foods are used. The question remains to what extent the social needs for participation can be fulfilled as well.

Indexed as

Diet, HealthyFoodSocial WelfareAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleGermanyHumansInfantMaleFood povertyFood supplyNutritionOptimized Mixed DietSocial law

Identifiers

PMID39808270
PMCPMC11774961

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.