Frequency of food items consumed by young rural and urban African children--essential knowledge to provide dietary advice in caries prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the variety and frequency of consumption of food items, including cariogenic items, among 4-24-month-old black South African children.


METHODS
A rural area of low socioeconomic status, Ndunakazi, KwaZulu/Natal Province [n=105]; two urban areas in Gauteng Province: Soweto (low to middle socioeconomic status) [n=100], and the northern suburbs of Johannesburg and Sandton (middle to upper socioeconomic status) [n=101].


METHODS
Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and analysed using SAS.


METHODS
Weekly frequencies for: number of times each food item was recorded; total consumption for each food item for the combined group of children and the three individual geographical areas. Food items were ranked in descending order according to the combined group of children within five selected food groups (carbohydrates, sugars, fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, other foods and snacks). Only individual area results were listed.


RESULTS
The preferred foods and frequency of consumption of these foods were identified. Significant differences were found between rural and urban groups for most of the food items, but not between urban groups. Food items were 'flagged' according to their cariogenic potential.


CONCLUSIONS
The study provided valuable new information suitable for adapting and developing dietary advice relevant to caries prevention in African children
MacKeown
J M
JM
Dental Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. mackeownj@dentistry.wits.ac.za
Faber
W M
WM
D044383:Black People; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004037:Diet, Cariogenic; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population