Ready-to-eat cereal consumption: its relationship with BMI and nutrient intake of children aged 4 to 12 years.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between ready-to-eat cereal consumption habits and body mass index of a sample of children aged 4 to 12 years.


METHODS
Fourteen-day self-reported food diary records were obtained from a sample of 2,000 American households from February 1998 through February 1999. Height and weight of the family members were also self-reported.


METHODS
The sample population of 603 children, aged 4 to 12 years, was broken into tertiles based on cereal consumption over the 14 days: (three or fewer, four to seven, or eight or more servings).


METHODS
Logistic regression and analysis of variance were used to determine associations between frequency of ready-to-eat cereal consumption and body mass index or nutrient intakes.


RESULTS
More than 90% of children aged 4 to 12 years consumed ready-to-eat cereal at least once in the two-week collection period. Within tertiles of consumption, children in the upper tertile had lower mean body mass indexes than those in the lowest tertile consistently across all age groups (P<.01). Additionally, the proportion of children aged 4 to 12 years who were at risk for overweight/overweight was significantly lower in the upper tertile of cereal consumption (P<.05). Children in the upper tertile also had lower fat intakes and higher intakes of many micronutrients.


CONCLUSIONS
The consumption of ready-to-eat cereals at breakfast should be encouraged as a component of an eating pattern that promotes the maintenance of healthful body weights and nutrient intakes in children.
Albertson
Ann M
AM
Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, General Mills, Inc, Minneapolis, MN 55427, USA. Ann.Albertson@genmills.com
Anderson
G Harvey
GH
Crockett
Susan J
SJ
Goebel
Michael T
MT
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
D004041:Dietary Fats; D018977:Micronutrients; D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins