Assessment of Dietary Intake of Schoolchildren Living in Urban Settings: A Case Study of Karaganda City.

Background/Objectives: Kazakhstan currently lacks representative data on the actual consumption of calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients among students, despite the rising interest in the subject of children's nutrition. The objective of the study was to assess the actual nutritional status of urban schoolchildren and identify differences depending on demographic and socioeconomic factors. Methods: A 24 h dietary survey was used. The final analytical dataset included 865 children aged 7 to 17 years, representing only the two specified ethnocultural groups. We divided these participants into three groups according to standard age classification: 7 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, and 15 to 17 years. We calculated the nutrient profile using national and international food composition databases. Results: We found an age-related trend toward increased consumption of fluids, proteins, fats, and several micronutrients. Adolescents (15-17 years) had a higher intake of simple sugars and a lower intake of starch compared to other age groups. Age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors (family income and food expenditure) were statistically significantly associated with BMI and diet composition, with caloric intake and essential nutrient intake increasing with age. Conclusions: The results emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions that go beyond school meals, such as controlling the food environment, lowering the availability of ultra-processed foods, boosting the availability of dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, and creating mechanisms for tracking and assessing the efficacy of Kazakhstan's revised school meal standards.