title: Dietary sources of fiber intake and its association with socio-economic factors among Flemish preschool children.
abstract: The objectives were to assess total dietary fiber intake, identify the major sources of dietary fiber, and examine its association with socio-economic factors among Flemish preschoolers. Three-day estimated dietary records were collected from a representative sample of preschoolers 2.5-6.5 years old (n = 661; 338 boys, 323 girls). The mean dietary fiber intake (13.4 g/d) was lower than the intake level recommended by the Belgian Superior Health Council (70% boys and 81% girls below the guidelines). The most important contributor was the group of bread and cereals (29.5%), followed by fruits (17.8%), potatoes and grains (16.0%), energy-dense, low-nutritious foods (12.4%), and vegetables (11.8%). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that total fiber intake was associated with maternal education and parents' employment. Overall, fiber intakes from high-nutritious foods (vegetables and fruits) were higher in preschoolers of higher educated mothers and those with one or both parents being employed. In conclusion, the majority of the preschoolers had dietary fiber intakes below the recommended level. Hence, dietary fiber should be promoted among parents of preschoolers and low socio-economic status families should be addressed in particular.
authors.affiliation: Unit Nutrition and Food Safety, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; E-Mails: yi.lin@ugent.be (Y.L.); guy.debacker@ugent.be (G.D.B.); stefaan.dehenauw@ugent.be (S.D.H.).
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Selin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolca
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandevijvere
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Keyzer
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Oyen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Camp
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D044465:White People