The contribution of at-home and away-from-home food to dietary intake among 2-13-year-old Mexican children.
OBJECTIVE
Away-from-home foods have been shown to have lower nutritional quality and larger portion sizes than many foods prepared at home. We aimed to describe energy and nutrient intakes among 2-13-year-old Mexican children by eating location (at home and away from home), overall, by socio-economic status (SES) and by urbanicity.


METHODS
Dietary intake was collected via one 24 h recall in the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT). Location was reported for each food consumed. Results were adjusted for sex, day of recall, region, weight status, SES and urbanicity.


METHODS
Mexico (nationally representative).


METHODS
Children aged 2-5 years (n 1905) and 6-13 years (n 2868).


RESULTS
Children consumed the majority of daily energy at home (89% of 2-5-year-olds; 82 % of 6-13-year-olds). The most common away-from-home eating location was school (22 % of 2-5-year-olds; 43 % of 6-13-year-olds), followed by the street (14 % of 2-5-year-olds; 13 % of 6-13-year-olds). The most common foods consumed away from home were wheat/rice and corn mixed dishes, sugar-sweetened beverages, pastries/candy/desserts, milk (2-5-year-olds only) and salty snacks (6-13-year-olds). Multivariate models showed that high-SES 2-5-year-olds consumed 14 % of daily energy away from home v. 8 % among low-SES 2-5-year-olds, and high-SES 6-13-year-olds consumed 21 % of daily energy away from home v. 14 % among low-SES 6-13 year-olds. There were no differences by urban residence.


CONCLUSIONS
Among Mexican children, most foods and beverages were consumed at home. However, the percentage of foods consumed or purchased away from home increased with age and with SES.
1Department of Nutrition,Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Medicine,University of North Carolina,Chapel Hill,CB # 8120 University Square,Chapel Hill,NC 27516-3997,USA.
Lindsey Smith
LS
Taillie
2Nestlé Research Center,Lausanne,Switzerland.
Myriam C
MC
Afeiche
2Nestlé Research Center,Lausanne,Switzerland.
Alison L
AL
Eldridge
1Department of Nutrition,Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Medicine,University of North Carolina,Chapel Hill,CB # 8120 University Square,Chapel Hill,NC 27516-3997,USA.
Barry M
BM
Popkin
D000293:Adolescent; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004435:Eating; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011939:Mental Recall; D008800:Mexico; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage; D062410:Snacks; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D018977:Micronutrients; D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners
Child diet; Eating location; Energy intake; Fast food; Latin America