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Published on: July 28, 2023
Vegetable/Fruit Intakes of Young Children at Home and in Childcare Centres
Sarah A R Gatien1, Linda L Mann1, Sara F L Kirk2
1Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS.
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health Nutrition
Background:
- Childhood vegetable and fruit intake is crucial for growth and development.
- Dietary habits established in early childhood often persist into adulthood.
- Understanding intake patterns in childcare settings is vital for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare vegetable/fruit consumption in Nova Scotian children.
- To analyze intake differences based on age groups (3 vs. 4-5 years).
- To compare dietary intake between home and regulated childcare environments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3-4 day food records from 79 children.
- Collected records from both home and childcare settings for 58 children.
- Coded food items using 2007 Canada's Food Guide (CFG) and 2014 Classification of Foods in the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF/CFG) Tiers.
Main Results:
- Overall, 56% of children met CFG vegetable/fruit recommendations.
- Older children (4-5 years) were half as likely to meet recommendations compared to younger children.
- Fruit and juice constituted 65% of intake; higher consumption at home. Higher quality items consumed more often, but lower quality items consumed more at home.
Conclusions:
- 4-5 year olds may not be meeting recommended vegetable/fruit intake increases.
- While over half met recommendations, fruit/juice predominated, with varied quality.
- Strategies are needed to enhance vegetable/fruit intake in both home and childcare settings.
Abstract:
Purpose: The vegetable/fruit intakes of a sample of children attending regulated childcare in Nova Scotia was assessed and compared by age groups (3 and 4-5 year olds) and by home and childcare environments. Methods: Seventy-nine children had 3-4-day food records and 58 had records from both environments. The data were coded by the 2007 Canada's Food Guide (CFG) recommendations and the 2014 Classification of Foods in the Canadian Nutrient File according to CFG (CNF/CFG) Tiers. Descriptive statistics and tests of significance were determined. Results: Overall, 56% of children met the CFG vegetable/fruit recommendations but the percentage of older children meeting recommendations was half that of the younger age group; a significant difference. Fruit and juice comprised 65% of vegetable/fruit intakes with more consumed at home. Vegetable/fruit items were mostly from the higher quality CNF/CFG Tiers but more of the lower quality items were consumed at home. Conclusions: The 4-5 year olds may not be increasing their vegetable/fruit intakes as the CFG recommends. While just over half of children met CFG vegetable/fruit recommendations, the vegetable/fruit items were mostly high quality; fruit and juice predominated. Identification of strategies to support increased vegetable/fruit intakes of children in both home and childcare environments is warranted.
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