Analysis of dietary quality of preschool left behind children by using the revised Chinese diet balance index / 中国学校卫生

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To evaluate the dietary quality by adjusted diet balance index (DBI_16) of preschool left behind children in Anhui Province, and to provide a reference for rapidly and accurately evaluating their nutrition condition.@*Methods@#During September to December of 2018, selected 306 left behind children and 598 non left behind children aged 3-6 years old of Anhui Province in total. Four scoring methods (TS total score, LBS Low Bound Score, HBS High Bound Score, DQD Diet Quality Distance) were used to evaluate the dietary quality by Diet Balance Index Revision (DBI_16), and scores were compared to reflect the diet quality of preschool children in LBC group and NLBC group.@*Results@#The score of TS (-18.2, -16.1) in LBC group was lower than that of NLBC group, the scores of LBS(24.8, 23.1), HBS (7.9, 6.4) and DQD (35.9, 34.4) in LBC group were higher than that of NLBC group( Z =-46.02, 12.45, 4.14, 4.78, P <0.05). The daily intake of vegetables, fruits, animal food, milk, soybean and drinking water were obviously under the RNI, the dietary intake scores of milk(-4.1, -2.7), animal food (-2.2, -0.8) and food species (-7.4, -6.2) in LBC group were higher than that in NLBC group( Z =-26.42, 13.51, -6.59, P <0.01). About 44.1% of the preschool LBC were in moderate or severe deficit of food intake, 66.0% of the LBC were in the higher level of dietary imbalance, the LBC group s excessive and imbalance problem were of significant differences than those in the NLBC group ( χ 2=15.79, 11.51, P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#The dietary quality of preschool children in Anhui Province should be improved, the main diet problem was the dietary imbalance, which was related to deficiency in nutrients intake. The scores of DBI_16 in LBC group were significant different with those in NLBC group, it is necessary to take specific intervention to increase the intake of milk, eggs and fruits among preschool children.