What do young adolescent New Zealanders eat? Nutrient intakes of a nationwide sample of form 1 children.

AIM: To determine the nutrient intakes of a nationwide sample of form 1 children (aged 10-11 years), and to identify possible areas of nutritional concern. METHOD: Ten form 1 classes (322 children) were chosen as a nationally representative but nonrandom sample. A 24-hour dietary record was used to obtain quantitative information on all food and beverages consumed. Mean daily intakes were compared with Australian recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for ages 8 to 11 years. Mean percentage contributions made by selected macronutrients to total energy intake, were compared to targets set for adult New Zealanders. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The final sample comprised 251 children (114 boys, 137 girls) aged 10 to 11 years. Mean energy intake was 8.32 MJ/d (boys) and 7.97 MJ/d (girls). These intakes were within the Australian recommended range for 10 to 11 year olds. Snacks contributed a mean of 30 percent to the daily energy intake of this sample. The mean percentage of daily energy from total fat was 36% (boys) and 35% (girls), close to the target set for adult New Zealanders. However, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) provided only 4% of mean daily energy compared to the 8% recommended for adults. Sugar intake was considered too high, with total sugars contributing one quarter of daily energy. This group would probably benefit from increased consumption of complex carbohydrate including fibre, and less refined sugar. Nearly half of the girls sampled had a calcium intake less than 70% of the Australian RDI. This result is of concern with respect to maintaining positive calcium balance for achievement of peak bone mass. Mean sodium intake was high at approximately 100 mmol/d, despite no information on salt added during cooking and before eating. Intake of zinc and vitamin B6 was considered to be too low with over one-third of the sample consuming less than 70% of the Australian RDI.

Food consumption and quality of diets of Kansas elementary students.

Better knowledge of the eating patterns of children would allow nutritionists to target nutrition information more effectively. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected from 1,242 elementary students to investigate their eating patterns. Foods consumed were classified into categories on the basis of similar composition. Dietary quality was assessed by calculating mean adequacy ratios. Grain products, high-protein foods, vegetables, and milk products were included in the diets of almost all students. Sugary products were consumed by almost 90%, 20% drank non-sugary beverages, and fats and oils were included by 80%. Also, 80% consumed fruits and juices. Consumption of milk and milk products was the most important estimator of dietary quality, followed by vegetables, mixed protein dishes, nutrient supplements, fruits, high-protein foods and grain products. When nutrient supplements were excluded, fruit and grain products became more important predictors. Non-sugary beverages adversely affected the quality of children's intakes. Students with dietary quality indexes between 90 and 100 consumed milk and vegetables more frequently than those with indexes of less than 66, who drank non-sugary beverages more often. Dietary quality varied in direct proportion to level of energy intake, suggesting that nutrition education should emphasize intake of nutrient-dense foods.