Adherence to food-based dietary guidelines and evaluation of nutrient intake in 7-year-old children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the diet of 7-year-old children by comparison with food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) and reference values for nutrient intake.


METHODS
Food and nutrient intake was assessed by 3 d weighed dietary records of 7-year-olds in six randomly chosen schools in Reykjavik, Iceland. Height and weight were measured. The diet of 165 children (62 % of sample) was evaluated by the Icelandic FBDG and the Nordic reference values (NRV) for nutrient intake.


METHODS
Six randomly chosen schools in Reykjavik, Iceland.


RESULTS
The FBDG on fruits and vegetables was reached by less than 20 % of the children. A total of 52 % reached the FBDG to eat fish twice a week and 41 % to use vitamin D supplement. The FBDG on dairy was reached by 66 % of the children. Mean intake of SFA gave 13.9 % of the total energy intake (E%), which is higher than the NRV, 9.3E% of MUFA and 3.8E% of PUFA, both lower than the NRV (for all differences P < 0.001). Added sugar gave 12.1E%, which exceeds the upper level (P < 0.001). Fibre intake was 2.1 g/MJ and lower than the NRV (P < 0.001). Mean intake of micronutrients was above the recommended intake (RI), except for iodine, 109.0 microg/d, and vitamin D, 6.1 microg/d, which was lower than the RI (P = 0.006 and P < 0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Fruit, vegetable, fish and dairy, as well as vitamin D supplement, need to be increased in the diet of 7-year-old children to reach the FBDG and the reference values for nutrient intake. Dietary changes to increase the quality of fat and carbohydrate are needed as well.
Kristjansdottir
Asa Gudrun
AG
Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali-University Hospital and Faculty of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Thorsdottir
Inga
I
D002648:Child; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015930:Diet Records; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002149:Energy Intake; D005638:Fruit; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012016:Reference Values; D017747:Seafood; D014675:Vegetables; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage
D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D018977:Micronutrients; D014807:Vitamin D; D007455:Iodine