Association Between Dietary Protein Sources and Nutrient Intake in the Diet of Canadian Children

Canada's 2019 Food Guide (CFG) encourages the increased consumption of plant-based foods as dietary protein sources. However, the nutritional implications of replacing animal-based proteins with plant-based alternatives in children's diets remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between protein food sources and nutrient intake in Canadian children aged 9-18 years.

We analyzed data from 2324 children from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), using the Public-Use Microdata File (PUMF) containing 24 h dietary recalls. Participants were categorized into four groups based on the proportion of protein from plant sources: Group 1 (0-24.9%), Group 2 (25-49.9%), Group 3 (50-74.9%), and Group 4 (75-100%). Nutrient intakes were compared and assessed against the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intake (AI).

Groups 1 and 3 had less favorable macronutrient profiles than Group 2. A 3:1 animal-to-plant protein ratio (Group 2) aligned most closely with dietary recommendations. Groups 1 and 2 exceeded RDAs for protein, iron, vitamin B12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and zinc by over 146% (about four SDs above the mean requirement), suggesting a low risk of inadequacy, although saturated fat intake was high. The intakes of vitamin D and folate were below 66% of the RDA, while calcium and magnesium were below 100% in some subgroups, with probabilities of inadequacy of 0.93 and 0.31, respectively. Group 4 (2.71%) was too small for reliable analysis.

An approximate 3:1 ratio of animal-to-plant protein sources may represent an optimal balance for supporting nutrient intake and improving macronutrient profiles in the diets of Canadian children.