Growth, energy intake, and meal pattern in five-year-old children considered as poor eaters.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether 5-year-old children considered poor eaters differ from their peers regarding growth, intake of energy and nutrients, or meal pattern. Study design Parental evaluations of children's (n=494) eating at age 5 years were collected using questionnaires, and energy and nutrient intakes and meal pattern of the children were assessed using 4-day food records. Weight and height were measured at birth and at ages 7 and 13 months, and 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. Of the children 30.2% (149) were poor eaters according to the parents. The rest of the sample (n=345) formed the comparison group.


RESULTS
Poor eaters were on average lighter and shorter at birth (P=.026 and P=.020, respectively), and at age 5 years (P<.001 for both weight and height) than the comparison children. At age 5 years the poor eaters on average received less of their daily total energy from warm meals (P=.044) and more from snacks (P=.013) than the comparison group, but the mean daily weight-adjusted intake of energy showed no difference between the groups (P=.153).


CONCLUSIONS
There appears not to be reason for serious concern about growth and diet of preschool-aged children considered as poor eaters by parents.
Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, and the Departments of Pediatrics, Teacher Training in Rauma, and Biostatistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. susaari@utu.fi
Susanna
S
Saarilehto
Helena
H
Lapinleimu
Soili
S
Keskinen
Hans
H
Helenius
Sanna
S
Talvia
Olli
O
Simell
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male