title: Effects of differences in dietary fat on growth, energy and nutrient intake from infancy to eight years of age.
abstract: We report the results of food energy and nutrient intake, and somatic growth measured at intervals throughout infancy to 8 years of age in children from the Adelaide nutrition study cohort. At each age the sample was divided into three groups according to the percentage energy as fat: < 30%, 30-34.9% and > 34.9%. There were no clinically significant differences in height, weight or skinfold thickness according to the proportions of fat in the diet, although the high fat intake group had a higher food energy intake at 2, 4 and 8 years of age. The low fat group had a greater proportion of energy as sugar at 4, 6 and 8 years of age, and as starch at 4 and 6 years. At some ages there were differences in calcium, iron, thiamine and vitamin C intakes. There were minor differences in nutrient intake in children at 8 and 15 years of age according to their fat intake at 1 and 2 years. Boys in the lower fat intake group at 2 years of age were slightly shorter and lighter at 15 years of age than those who had been in higher fat intake groups. We conclude that the contemporary shift to a lower fat diet in early childhood is unlikely to have deleterious effects on growth and nutrient intake if eaten in the context of a family eating pattern, which meets current guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Starship Children's Health, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Boulton
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Magarey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats