Impact of fat reduction on micronutrient density of children's diets: the CATCH Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of fat reduction on vitamin and mineral density in the diets of groups of children who participated in the CATCH school-based intervention study for 2 1/2 years.

Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected on 1,182 children residing in four states and with diverse ethnic backgrounds, at baseline when they were in third grade and again at follow-up when they were in fifth grade.

With a 2.4% reduction in total fat intake from baseline levels in the intervention group, mean changes in vitamin and mineral intakes per 1,000 kcal of this group were small yet significant compared with the control group. As mean fat intake decreased, the nutrient density of most vitamins and minerals increased; the sole exceptions were vitamin E and sodium. Mean intake of all vitamins and minerals studied exceeded 2/3 of the RDA at both baseline and follow- up for both the intervention and the control groups. No significant differences were noted between treatment groups for the percentages of children meeting 2/3 or more of the RDA at both baseline and follow-up periods.

CATCH was successful in maintaining mean vitamin and mineral intakes of intervention group children when total dietary fat was reduced.