Dietary intakes in North Carolina child-care centers: are children meeting current recommendations?
The purpose of this study was to determine whether food consumed by children while in center-based child care meets the new MyPyramid food group recommendations for children 2 to 5 years of age. Dietary observation of 117 children from 20 child-care centers throughout North Carolina was conducted. The type and amount of food served to and consumed by children was observed and assessed using Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R) software (version 2005, Nutrition Coordinating Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). Portion sizes were then compared to the new MyPyramid food group recommendations to see whether 1/2 to 2/3 (for time spent in full-day child care) of the recommended amounts were consumed. On average, of the five main food groups, children consumed only the 1/2 to 2/3 recommendation for milk. Children also consumed less than 13% of MyPyramid recommendations for whole grains and 7% of MyPyramid recommendations for dark vegetables. Also noteworthy, 50% of milk consumed was whole milk and 75% of the meat consumed was of the high-fat or fried variety. Overall, our data suggest that children are not consuming recommended amounts of whole grains, fruits (excluding 100% fruit juice), or vegetables while attending full-time child care, and are consuming excess amounts of saturated fat and added sugar.
Ball
Sarah C
SC
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7426, USA. ball@email.unc.edu
Benjamin
Sara E
SE
Ward
Dianne S
DS
D000818:Animals; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008892:Milk; D009657:North Carolina; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D014675:Vegetables
D004041:Dietary Fats; D019422:Dietary Sucrose