title: An appropriate tool for appetite testing and evaluation in young children in Benin.
abstract: Appetite measurements were performed in 109 Beninese children aged 18-30 months to develop a tool for appetite evaluation in young children in nutritional intervention programmes. Two test foods were identified as appropriate for these children: a maize porridge (aklui) and rice (riz-au-gras). Ad libitum intakes of the foods served after an overnight fast according to a standardized offering procedure were measured on 3 days. The children's habitual intakes were measured during 3 consecutive days not overlapping with the days when the test meals were provided. Energy intake from the test foods was comparable to breakfast energy intake which was 0.8-1.0 MJ, representing 21% of total daily energy intake. Energy intake from aklui was significantly correlated with daily intake (r=0.41, n=38, p<0.05) and with energy intake from breakfast (r=0.52, p<0.01). Correlations concerning riz-au-gras were less pronounced and non-significant. Reproducibility (as coefficient of variation) of the appetite test as calculated from the triplicate measurements was 40% for aklui and 25% for riz-au-gras. This reproducibility is better than that of the habitual breakfast intake (43-45%). In conclusion, the appetite test used in our studies can be considered as an appropriate tool in appetite evaluations.
authors.affiliation: Département de Nutrition et Sciences Alimentaires, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université Nationale du Bénin, BP 526 Cotonou, République du Bénin. ansromarc@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: R A M
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dossa
authors.forename: E A D
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ategbo
authors.forename: J M A
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Raaij
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: J G A J
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hautvast
mesh_terms: D001066:Appetite; D001541:Benin; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold; D003371:Cough; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000503:physiopathology; D002149:Energy Intake; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005334:Fever / Q000503:physiopathology; D005502:Food; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012275:Oryza; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D003313:Zea mays