title: Studies of consistency of dietary intake during the first four years of life in a prospective analysis: Bogalusa Heart Study.
abstract: The consistency of intake levels for several dietary components over a 5-year period (age 6 months to 4 years) in a biracial infant-early childhood cohort has been demonstrated. Young children with high intakes of selected dietary components associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (e.g., total fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol) continue to have higher intakes as they mature than do their peers. Spearman rank correlation coefficients at a significant level are noted between ages 2 and 4 for the following nutrients: total protein (r = 0.65), animal protein (r = 0.46), total sugar (r = 0.39), sucrose (r = 0.37), starch (r = 0.33), total fat (r = 0.53), saturated fatty acid (SFA, r = 0.48), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, r = 0.43), and cholesterol (r = 0.49). At 2 years of age, some 47-65% of those in the upper tertile for total fat, SFA, and cholesterol intake remain in the upper tertile at age 4. Persistence of eating behaviors appears to begin as early as age 2, in part because of parental control over food patterns. These observations have implications for reduction of early cardiovascular risk factors in children and adoption of a more prudent dietary intake through consumer education.
authors.affiliation: LSU Medical Center, Department of Medicine, New Orleans 70112.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Webber
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Berenson
mesh_terms: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D004044:Dietary Proteins