title: Associations between commercial complementary food consumption and fruit and vegetable intake in children. Results of the DONALD study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is influenced by individual taste and food preferences that are developed early in life. Thus, the sensory properties of foods given during complementary feeding may shape later food acceptance and dietary intake. However, those experiences differ with respect to the preparation method of complementary food (CF), that is, homemade and commercial CF. The aim of this study therefore was to examine the association between the infant's consumption of commercial CF and FV intake and variety during infancy, preschool and school age.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 281 children of the DONALD Study with 3-day weighed dietary records at 0.5 and 0.75 (infancy), 3 and 4 (preschool age), 6 and 7 years of age (school age) were included in this analysis. Percentage of commercial CF (%cCF) was averaged at 0.5 and 0.75 years. Individual FV intake (g/day) and FV variety scores were calculated and averaged separately for all three age groups. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyse associations between %cCF and FV intake and variety. Models were adjusted for early life and socioeconomic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For boys, higher %cCF was associated with lower vegetable intake in infancy (p < 0.0001) and preschool age (p = 0.036) as well as lower total FV intake in preschool and school age (p < 0.009). For girls, higher %cCF was associated with lower vegetable intake (p < 0.0001) in infancy. FV variety scores showed no clear associations with %cCF in girls and boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the DONALD Study suggest that the preparation method of CF is associated with FV consumption in infancy and at least for boys also in preschool and school age.
authors.affiliation: IEL-Nutritional Epidemiology, DONALD Study at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE), University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225 Dortmund, Germany. Electronic address: foterek@fke-do.de.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Foterek
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE), Heinstueck 11, 44225 Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Annett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbig
authors.affiliation: IEL-Nutritional Epidemiology, DONALD Study at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE), University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225 Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Alexy
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Commercial complementary food; Fruit and vegetable intake; Fruit and vegetable variety; Homemade complementary food; Infant feeding