Association between energy-dense food consumption at 2 years of age and diet quality at 4 years of age.
The present study aimed to evaluate the association between the consumption of energy-dense foods at 2 years of age and the consumption of foods and diet quality at 4 years of age. The sample included 705 children evaluated at 2 and 4 years of age, as part of the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI (Porto, Portugal). Data on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors of both children and mothers were collected by face-to-face interviews. The weight and height of children were measured by trained professionals. Based on FFQ, four energy-dense food groups were defined: soft drinks; sweets; cakes; salty snacks. A healthy eating index was developed using the WHO dietary recommendations for children (2006) aged 4 years. The associations were evaluated through Poisson regression models. After adjustment for maternal age and education, child's carer, child's siblings and child's BMI, higher consumption of energy-dense foods at 2 years of age was found to be associated with higher consumption of the same foods 2 years later. An inverse association was found between the intake (≥ median) of soft drinks (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.74, 95% CI 0.58, 0.95), salty snacks (IRR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.65, 1.00) and sweets (IRR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.58, 0.91) at 2 years of age and the consumption of fruit and vegetables at 4 years of age (≥ 5 times/d). Weekly and daily consumption of energy-dense foods at 2 years of age was associated with a lower healthy eating score at 4 years of age (IRR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.58, 0.96; IRR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.41, 0.77, respectively). The consumption of energy-dense foods at young ages is negatively associated with the diet quality of children a few years later.
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Sofia
S
Vilela
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Andreia
A
Oliveira
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Elisabete
E
Ramos
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Pedro
P
Moreira
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Henrique
H
Barros
Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Carla
C
Lopes
D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011174:Portugal; D011446:Prospective Studies