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Intake of protein, calcium and sodium in public child day care centers
Giovana Longo-Silva1, Maysa Helena de A Toloni2, Risia Cristina E de Menezes1
1Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brasil.
Insights
Children in public day-care centers have inadequate calcium, protein, and sodium intake. Sodium consumption was excessively high, while calcium and protein levels were insufficient for optimal growth and development.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
Background:
- Adequate nutrition is crucial for children's growth and development.
- Public day-care centers play a significant role in children's daily nutrition.
- Assessing nutrient intake in this population is vital for identifying potential deficiencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate calcium, protein, and sodium intake in children attending public day-care centers.
- To compare the dietary intake with established nutritional recommendations.
- To identify potential nutritional inadequacies in the diets provided.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in seven public day-care centers in São Paulo, Brazil.
- 366 children aged 12-36 months participated.
- Dietary intake was assessed using a direct food weighing method over 42 days.
Main Results:
- Energy, protein, and calcium intake were below recommended levels across all centers.
- Sodium intake significantly exceeded recommendations, reaching up to three times the adequate amount.
- The calcium-to-protein ratio was lower than recommended, indicating a potential imbalance.
Conclusions:
- Children in public day-care centers exhibit inadequate intake of calcium and protein.
- Excessive sodium consumption was a significant finding in the evaluated diets.
- These findings highlight the need for nutritional interventions in public day-care settings.
Objective:
To assess calcium, protein and sodium intake, of children that attend public day-care centers and to compare it with the recommended one.
Methods:
Cross-sectional descriptive study in seven public day care centers of São Paulo city, Southeast Brazil, which enrolled 366 children between 12 and 36 months of age. The data collection occurred between September and December 2010. Each day care center was evaluated for three non-consecutive days, totaling 42 days and 210 meals. Dietary intake was assessed by a direct food weighing method. For the nutritional calculation, DietWin® Profissional 2.0 was used, and the adequacy was calculated according to the recommendations of the National School Feeding Program for energy, protein, calcium and sodium. The calcium/protein relation was also calculated, as well as calcium density (mg/1,000kcal).
Results:
The energy (406.4kcal), protein (18.2g) and calcium (207.6mg) consumption did not reach the recommended values in all the evaluated day care centers. Sodium intake exceeded up to three times the recommendation. The calcium/protein ratio of 11.7mg/g was less than the adequate one (20mg/g).
Conclusions:
There was inadequacy of calcium, protein and sodium dietary intake, in children attending public day-care centers.
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