Dietary intake of 9-10-year-old and 11-12-year-old children in Liverpool

To describe the eating habits of children in Liverpool and compare two age groups that bridge the transition from primary to secondary school.

Two cross-sectional studies carried out one year apart using a food intake questionnaire that records whether or not each child claims to have eaten specific marker foods on the previous day.

Primary and secondary schools in Liverpool.

Six hundred and forty-nine children aged 11 or 12 years and 3556 children aged 9 or 10 years.

Fewer older children ate breakfast (68-82%), especially the girls, and not eating breakfast was associated with eating on the way to school in the younger children. More of the older girls ate nothing at breakfast or on the way to school. Overall, the less desirable foods were reported to have been eaten by more children, of both ages, than the more desirable foods. Fruit, however, was mentioned by most children (69-77%) but the next 10 foods mentioned by most children were all less desirable ones. Only 31% of primary and 21% of secondary children ate both fruit and vegetables but 23% of primary and 26% of secondary children ate neither fruit nor vegetables. Overall, more of the girls of both age groups claimed to have eaten foods that would normally be encouraged.

Food choice changes appreciably between primary and secondary school and, in some key respects, for the worse. In particular, far more children of both age groups need to be eating fruit and vegetables every day.