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The Predictors of Diet Quality among Australian Children Aged 3.5 Years
Insights
Healthy breastfeeding practices and maternal role modeling significantly improve preschool children's diet quality. Early interventions supporting these behaviors can enhance children's nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Promoting healthy eating habits in early childhood is crucial for long-term health outcomes.
- Diet quality in preschool years is a key determinant of overall well-being.
- Understanding predictors of diet quality is essential for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the quality of diet in Australian preschool-aged children.
- To identify key predictors associated with children's diet quality at 3.5 years of age.
- To inform early intervention strategies for improving child nutrition.
Main Methods:
- Diet quality was assessed using the Revised Children's Diet Quality Index (RC-DQI) at 3.5 years.
- Data on potential predictors, including breastfeeding, maternal nutrition knowledge, and modeling, were collected via questionnaires from infancy.
- Statistical analyses included bivariate and multivariable logistic regression to identify significant associations.
Main Results:
- The mean RC-DQI score was 62.8 out of 85, indicating moderate diet quality.
- Breastfeeding status was positively associated with higher diet quality (OR 2.34).
- Maternal modeling of healthy eating also showed a positive association with children's diet quality (OR 1.75).
Conclusions:
- Both breastfeeding and maternal role modeling of healthy eating independently predict better diet quality in preschool children.
- Interventions encouraging these maternal behaviors can effectively support improved child diet quality.
- Early life nutrition interventions focusing on breastfeeding and parental modeling are recommended.
Background:
It is critical to promote healthy eating early in life.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to examine diet quality and its predictors among Australian preschool-aged children.
Design:
Diet was assessed at age 3.5 years using multiple 24-hour recalls. Diet quality was assessed using an adapted version of the Revised Children's Diet Quality Index (RC-DQI). Potential predictors of diet quality were from questionnaires at age 3, 9, and 18 months and informed by the ecologic model of childhood overweight. Potential predictors included child's sex, age of introduction to solid foods, breastfeeding status, food acceptance, maternal nutrition knowledge, modeling of healthy eating, self-efficacy, education, and home food availability.
Participants:
Data from 244 children participating in the Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity, and Nutrition Trial in 2008-2010 and follow-up data collection in 2011-2013 were examined.
Main Outcome Measures:
Diet quality at age 3.5 years.
Statistical Analyses Performed:
Bivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between diet quality and each predictor. A multivariable logistic regression model accounting for influences of covariates, treatment arm, and clustering by group tested associations between diet quality and significant predictors from bivariate analyses.
Results:
RC-DQI scores had a mean±standard deviation score of 62.8±8.3 points out of a maximum of 85 points. Breastfeeding status (odds ratio [OR] 2.34, 95% CI 1.33 to 4.10) and maternal modeling of healthy eating (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.03) were positively associated with RC-DQI scores. Both breastfeeding status (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.63 to 5.85) and modeling (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.88) remained positively associated with diet quality after adjustment for child age, body mass index z score, energy intake, treatment arm, and clustering.
Conclusions:
Breastfeeding status and modeling of healthy eating were independently associated with children's diet quality. Early intervention could assist mothers to practice these behaviors to provide support for improving child diet quality.
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