title: Diet quality and eating behavioural patterns in preschool children in Hong Kong.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the diet quality and eating behaviour of preschool children, investigate parents' feeding practices, and obtain information on the kindergarten nutrition environment of Hong Kong children aged 30-60 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary information was obtained using multiple 24-hour recalls. Questionnaires were developed to obtain information on children' seating behaviour, parents' feeding practices and preschool nutrition environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 302 children and 23 local kindergartens from three regions of Hong Kong were surveyed. The results showed consumption of vegetable and fruit were adequate; however, consumption of grain and meat were excessive, while milk and dairy intakes were inadequate. On average, the children consumed 1,280 kcal per day, or 92% of the Chinese Nutrition Society's energy recommendation. For macronutrients, the mean percentages of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat were 55%, 17% and 28%, respectively, which are within the United States Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges. The mean intakes of carbohydrate and protein were 175 g and 53.4 g, respectively. For micronutrients, the mean intakes of vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc were significantly lower than the reference nutrient intake or adequate intake (p<0.05), but those of sodium and niacin were significantly higher than the tolerable upper intake levels (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that diet quality among children in Hong Kong needs to be improved, as some nutrients are consumed in excess whereas others are consumed in inadequate amounts. Other results on children's eating behaviour, parent's feeding practices and school nutrition environment are also reported.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. Email: peggyyipuisze@cuhk.edu.hk; peggyyippuisze@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pui-Sze
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Vivian Wai-Yen
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Primary Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Queenie Kwan-Yee
authors.initials: QK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, North Point, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Hang-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services; D005638:Fruit; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D010290:Parents; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients