Search

Objective: To determine macronutrients and micronutrients in foods served to and consumed by children at child-care centres in Oklahoma, USA and compare them with Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).Design: Observed lunch nutrients compared with one-third of the age-based DRI (for 1-3 years-olds and 4-8-year-olds). Settings Oklahoma child-care centres (n 25), USA.Subjects: Children aged 3-5 years (n 415).Results: Regarding macronutrients, children were served 1782 (sd 686) kJ (426 (sd 164) kcal), 22·0 (sd 9·0) g protein, 51·5 (sd 20·4) g carbohydrate and 30·7 (sd 8·7) % total fat; they consumed 1305 (sd 669) kJ (312 (sd 160 kcal), 16·0 (sd 9·1) g protein, 37·6 (sd 18·5) g carbohydrate and 28·9 (sd 10·6) % total fat. For both age-based DRI: served energy (22-33 % of children), protein and carbohydrate exceeded; consumed energy (7-13 % of children) and protein exceeded, while carbohydrate was inadequate. Regarding micronutrients, for both age-based DRI: served Mg (65·9 (sd 24·7) mg), Zn (3·8 (sd 11·8) mg), vitamin A (249·9 (sd 228·3) μg) and folate (71·9 (sd 40·1) µg) exceeded; vitamin E (1·4 (sd 2·1) mg) was inadequate; served Fe (2·8 (sd 1·8) mg) exceeded only in 1-3-year-olds. Consumed folate (48·3 (sd 38·4) µg) met; Ca (259·4 (sd 146·2) mg) and Zn (2·3 (sd 3·0) mg) exceeded for 1-3-year-olds, but were inadequate for 4-8-year-olds. For both age-based DRI: consumed Fe (1·9 (sd 1·2) mg) and vitamin E (1·0 (sd 1·7) mg) were inadequate; Mg (47·2 (sd 21·8) mg) and vitamin A (155·0 (sd 126·5) µg) exceeded.Conclusions: Lunch at child-care centres was twice the age-based DRI for consumed protein, while energy and carbohydrate were inadequate. Areas of improvement for micronutrients pertain to Fe and vitamin E for all children; Ca, Zn, vitamin E and folate for older pre-schoolers. Adequate nutrients are essential for development and the study reveals where public health nutrition experts, policy makers and care providers should focus to improve the nutrient density of foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveExamine the association between energy intake and television (TV) viewing in Americans.DesignNationally representative, cross-sectional study of 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.SettingTotal energy intake was determined by two 24 h recalls. TV viewing was reported as low (≤1 h/d), middle (2–3 h/d), and high (≥4 h/d). Multivariate linear regression models were used to analyse TV viewing and energy intake, adjusted for BMI (percentile for children 2–18 years), age, ethnicity and physical activity.SubjectsPre-school children (2–5 years; n 1369), school-age children (6–11 years; n 1759), adolescents (12–18 years; n 3233) and adults (≥19 years; n 7850) in the USA.ResultsThere was a significant association between TV viewing and energy intake for adolescent girls (high v. low: β = 195·2, P = 0·03) and men (high v. low: β = −113·0, P = 0·02; middle v. low: β = −131·1, P = 0·0002). Mean adjusted energy intake for adolescent girls was 7801·0, 8088·5 and 8618·2 kJ/d for low, middle and high TV viewing, respectively. Mean adjusted energy intake for men was 9845·9, 9297·2 and 9372·8 kJ/d for low, middle and high TV viewing.ConclusionsTV viewing was associated with energy intake in US children and adults only in 12–18-year-old girls and men. For girls, the high TV viewing category consumed more energy daily (816·3 kJ (195 kcal)) than the low category. In men, the middle and high TV viewing categories consumed less energy daily (548·4 kJ (131 kcal) and 473·0 kJ (113 kcal), respectively) than the low category. Our findings support some, but not all previous research. Future research is needed to explore this complicated relationship with rigorous measures of energy intake and TV viewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]