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Food intakes by preschool children in Flanders compared with dietary guidelines

Inge Huybrechts1, Christophe Matthys, Carine Vereecken

  • 1Department of Public Health, Ghent University, University Hospital, Gent, Belgium. inge.huybrechts@ugent.be

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|February 5, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Preschool children in Flanders, Belgium, do not meet food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG). Most food group intakes were low, with high consumption of unhealthy foods, indicating a need for nutrition education.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Dietary Guidelines Evaluation

Background:

  • Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) are crucial for promoting healthy eating habits in preschool children.
  • Assessing adherence to FBDG in young populations is essential for identifying nutritional deficiencies and planning interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare food group intakes among preschool children in Flanders, Belgium, against established FBDG.
  • To determine the proportion of preschool children meeting specific FBDG recommendations.
  • To identify dietary patterns and potential areas for nutritional improvement in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 696 preschool children (2.5-6.5 years) in Flanders.
  • Dietary intake assessed using 3-day estimated dietary records (EDR) reported by proxies.
  • Statistical modeling employed to account for within-individual variation in dietary data.

Main Results:

  • Mean daily intakes of beverages, vegetables, fruit, and milk were below recommended levels.
  • Intakes of 'grains and potatoes' and 'meat products' aligned with recommendations; 'bread and cereals' were borderline.
  • High consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods (snacks, sugared drinks) was observed.
  • Compliance with most FBDG was extremely low, with percentages ranging from approximately 4% (fluids, vegetables) to 99% (potatoes).
  • Boys generally exhibited higher mean intakes of recommended food groups compared to girls.

Conclusions:

  • Preschool children in Flanders exhibit eating patterns that do not align with Flemish FBDG.
  • The findings highlight a significant gap between recommended and actual food consumption in this population.
  • Nutrition education and targeted interventions for preschool children and their parents are strongly recommended to address these dietary shortcomings.

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