5-A-DAY: dietary behavior and the fruit and vegetable intake of Latino children.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to examine children's intake of fruits and vegetables in relation to the recent national "5-A-DAY" campaign.


METHODS
Four 24-hour dietary recalls per child collected from 205 mothers of 4- to 5-year-old urban Latino children were used to analyze average 5-A-DAY fruit and vegetable consumption and examine associations between 5-A-DAY consumption, nutrient intakes, and eating patterns.


RESULTS
The reported mean servings per day of fruits and vegetables, as defined by 5-A-DAY criteria, were 1.8 and 1.0, respectively, with only 6.8% (n = 14) of the children averaging five or more servings per day. Fruit juice accounted for 36% of 5-A-DAY servings. There were significant linear trends in intake of vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, cholesterol, protein, and fiber across quintiles of 5-A-DAY intake. There were no differences among quintiles in intake of saturated or total fat or in servings from most non-5-A-DAY food groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Latino children's intake of fruits and vegetables falls far short of current recommendations. Fruit juice accounted for a disproportionate amount of 5-A-DAY intake in this population. Sensible 5-A-DAY interventions should take into consideration the existing eating patterns of the target population.
Basch
C E
CE
Center for Health Promotion, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027.
Zybert
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P
Shea
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D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009519:New York City; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D014675:Vegetables