Dietary intake in asylum seeker children in The Netherlands, strongly related to age and origin.
OBJECTIVE
To monitor the dietary intake of energy, macro- and micronutrients in asylum seeker children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study in three asylum seeker centres in The Netherlands.


METHODS
Hundred and sixteen children 2-12 years old (86% of the study cohort) provided a dietary history.


METHODS
The dietary intake was estimated by 24 h recall, and the origin of the children was classified in three geographic regions: African (n=45), Central Asia (n=34) or Eastern Europe (n=37).


RESULTS
The total energy intake from fat was in 24% of the children above 40En%. Seventy per cent of the children above 4 year of age had a saturated fat intake above 10En%. The children from Eastern Europe had a higher intake of fat and disaccharides than the children from the other regions. Among the children, an intake less than 80% of the recommended daily allowances of micronutrients was found for calcium (42%), iron (49%), vitamin A (45%) and vitamin D (80%). An inadequate dietary intake of iron and vitamin D was significantly more seen among the youngest children, whereas an inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin A was found more among the elder children.


CONCLUSIONS
The dietary intake of a prominent proportion of these children contains too much fat and insufficient amounts of calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin D. The low micronutrient intake of the asylum seeker children can be considered as a nutritional risk. Nutritional education and strategies to improve the macro- and micronutrient intake of asylum seeker children is indicated.
Stellinga-Boelen
A A M
AA
Medical Organisation Asylum Seekers North Netherlands, Groningen, The Netherlands. Annette.Stellinga@hetnet.nl
Wiegersma
P A
PA
Bijleveld
C M A
CM
D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000367:Age Factors; D001209:Asia, Central / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009426:Netherlands; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012036:Refugees
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D018977:Micronutrients