Mean ± Standard Deviation Intake Values for 1-® Method: Developmental Research

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Dietary Assessment

Background:

• The original Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) requires region-specific food composition data for accurate assessment.
• South African (SA) dietary data for the DII® was previously incomplete, necessitating localized values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish mean ± standard deviation (SD) intake values for 36 food parameters of the DII® for South African children.
• To enable the calculation of the dietary inflammatory potential in South African children aged 1 to <10 years.

Main Methods:

• Utilized eight South African dietary surveys from the last three decades, encompassing 5412 children.
• Integrated the SA food composition database with a supplementary database for 6 missing food parameters.
• Calculated mean ± SD intake values for macronutrients, micronutrients, and flavonoids by age group.

Main Results:

• Generated mean ± SD intake values for 36 DII® food parameters in SA children (1-<10 years).
• Confirmed the representativeness of the study sample and the plausibility of the intake values against age-appropriate recommendations.
• Observed an increase in energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intake with increasing age.

Conclusions:

• The developed mean ± SD values provide essential data for calculating the dietary inflammatory potential of SA children.
• These localized DII® values are vital for nutritional research and public health strategies in South Africa.
• The findings highlight age-related dietary intake patterns in young South African children.