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Consumption of 'extra' foods (energy-dense, nutrient-poor) among children aged 16-24 months from western Sydney,

Karen L Webb1, Marjaana Lahti-Koski, Ingrid Rutishauser

  • 1School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. karenw@health.usyd.edu.au

Public Health Nutrition
|November 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Energy-dense, nutrient-poor "extra" foods contribute significantly to toddlers' diets, displacing nutrient-rich core foods. This highlights the need for targeted dietary guidance for parents of young children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Dietary Assessment
  • Public Health Nutrition

Background:

  • Childhood diet quality is crucial for long-term health.
  • Understanding the role of 'extra' foods in young children's diets is essential for developing effective nutritional strategies.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the contribution of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods in toddlers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the contribution of energy-dense, nutrient-poor 'extra' foods to the diets of 16-24-month-old children.
  • To assess the impact of 'extra' food consumption on overall nutrient intake in young children.
  • To inform dietary guidance for parents of toddlers.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cross-sectional data from the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study (CAPS).
  • Collected 3-day weighed food records from 429 children aged 16-24 months.
  • Classified foods as 'core' or 'extras' based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Main Results:

  • 'Extra' foods provided 25-30% of total energy, fat, carbohydrate, and sodium in children's diets.
  • Higher intake of 'extra' foods was associated with lower intake of most micronutrients.
  • Consumption of 'extra' foods was inversely associated with the intake of core, nutrient-dense foods.

Conclusions:

  • The substantial energy contribution from 'extra' foods negatively impacts nutrient density in toddlers' diets.
  • Dietary guidance for parents of 1-2-year-olds is necessary to address the high consumption of 'extra' foods.
  • These findings can inform the development of age-specific dietary assessment tools.
Abstract

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