Assessment of âper capitaâ lunchtime food intake among 6- to 35-month-old children: a study on compliance with national and international standards in the âCreche com Sabor e Saúdeâ (C2S) project

Introduction and objectives: To evaluate compliance with per capita food supply at lunch in daycare centers. Methods: Visits were made on five consecutive days at lunchtime to six daycare centers enrolled in the “Creche com Sabor e Saúde” project (C2S), meaning “Daycare Centers with Taste and Health”. To quantify food portions for different age groups (6-8 months, 9-11 months, 12-23 months, and 24-35 months), each meal component (carbohydrate sources, protein sources, and vegetables) and dessert (fruit) underwent random selection and was weighed three times. The averages obtained were compared to C2S project guidelines for per capita food supply, in line with national and international recommendations. Results: One hundred and forty-five dishes and 244 desserts were analyzed. No dishes were served to infants under nine months. Per capita amounts for protein-supplying foods were fulfilled (9-11 months: 14.2 g; 12-23 months: 20.3 g; 24-35 months: 23.9 g). Carbohydrate-rich foods were provided in quantities exceeding the recommendations, particularly for the 12-23 month age group (62.2 g vs. 40 g). For infants under 12 months, no vegetables were offered, and above this age, the average amount provided fell below the minimum guideline of 20 g (12-23 months: 9.4 g; 24-35 months: 10.8 g). The quantity of fruit offered exceeded the recommendations for the 6-8 month (84.6 g > 30-50 g) and 9-11 month (133.3 g > 40-70 g) age groups, aligning with guidelines for the 12-35 months. Discussion: Daycare centers inconsistently followed per capita food supply guidelines for lunch, with deficits in vegetable intake and excesses in carbohydrate-rich foods and fruit that surpassed the recommended quantities.