Usual nutrient intake and adherence to dietary reference values among 3-6-year-old Finnish preschoolers

Early childhood is an important period for adopting a healthy diet to support long-term health. In Finland, data on how usual nutrient intake meets requirements in young children are lacking.

We evaluated usual nutrient intake from food sources and adherence to dietary reference values among Finnish preschoolers.

We used cross-sectional data from the DAGIS survey conducted in 2015-2016 among 3-6-year-old Finnish preschoolers (n = 808). Dietary intake was assessed using 3‑day food records, complemented with a 2‑day food record in a subsample. National Cancer Institute methods were applied to estimate the usual intake distributions of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals for each age group (3-, 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds) and to assess the proportions of children below and above the most recent dietary reference values.

Mean protein intake was 17 E% in all age groups, and the fibre density of the diets averaged 2.5-2.6 g/MJ. High proportions of children had intakes above the recommended intake levels for saturated fatty acids (80-86% depending on age), free sugars (42-47%) and sodium (96-99%), and below the recommended intake level for polyunsaturated fatty acids (43-48%). High proportions of children had intakes below the average requirement for vitamin D (24-33%), vitamin E (61-76%) and iron (36% in 3-year-olds). Intakes above the tolerable upper intake level were detected for zinc (58% in 3-year-olds; 6.1-17% in 4-6-year-olds) and iodine (26% in 3-year-olds; 6.4-11% in 4-6-year-olds).

Developing strategies to reduce particularly saturated fatty acid and sodium intakes in Finnish preschoolers is essential for early prevention of chronic diseases. Our results warrant regular monitoring of usual nutrient intake in young Finnish children to support timely and evidence-based decision-making.