title: [Diet quality of preschool children aged 2 to 5 years living in the urban area of Pelotas, Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the dietary quality of preschool children in the urban area of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary quality was measured according to the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), adapted to Brazil. Food consumption was obtained using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The index score was obtained by a score, ranging from 0 to 100, distributed in 13 food groups that characterize different components of a healthy diet. The better the quality of the diet, the closer the score is to 100.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dietary was evaluated in 556 preschoolers. The mean HEI score value was 74.4 points, indicating that diets need improvement. The mean scores were significantly higher among girls and in children from families with income between one and less than three minimum wages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children showed vegetable consumption below the recommended level, while the food group of oils and fats, as well as the group of sugars, candies, chocolates and snacks were consumed in excess. It is important to reinforce guidelines to promote healthier eating habits, which may persist later in life.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil. Electronic address: katharineeleal@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Katharine Konrad
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Bruna Celestino
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Giovanny Vinicius Araújo
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: França
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Denise Petrucci
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gigante
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Iná
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Cecília Formoso
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Assunção
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Diet; Dieta; Food habits; Hábitos alimentares; Indexes; Preschool; Pré‐escolar; Índices