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The Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS) of 19951-3 provides a
comprehensive picture of the eating habits and foods and nutrients
consumed by a representative population sample of Australian
children. Over 12 months, interviews were conducted with 1221
children aged two to 11 years about the foods they consumed on the day
before the interview.
Eating habits
One in nine children were following some form of modified
diet.1 Vegetarian diets were most
common (1 in 45 children), followed by fat-modified diets (1 in 45
girls, 1 in 70 boys). Some modifications (eg, eating more fruit and
vegetables) were consistent with recommendations for healthy diets
for young children.4 However, other
modifications (eg, eating less red meat or fat) may need to be reviewed
to ensure that the type and quantity of foods eaten is adequate to
provide the nutrients, such as iron and calcium, and energy essential
to growth and development.
Children generally consumed food frequently throughout the day
(five or more times in 90% of children; 7 or more times in 20% of
children). Most ate breakfast at least five days a week. For most
children, on weekdays, this breakfast was likely to include
breakfast cereals or breads (91% of children), and milk and milk
products (80% of children).
Foods eaten
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Dietary
guidelines for children and adolescents are summarised in Box
1.4
These guidelines describe a healthy diet in terms of variety; plenty
of breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables; age-related needs for
dietary fat; moderate intakes of added sugar and salt; and the
importance of water and physical activity. The specific importance
of dietary calcium and iron is emphasised. When the mean food intakes
of the children in the NNS were compared against these qualitative
recommendations, as well as the minimum number of serves recommended
by the Australian guide to healthy eating,5 some important
issues were identified. These are summarised in Box 2.
Clearly, to improve the diet of children, more breads, rice, pasta,
and grain-based products (eg, breakfast cereals and wholegrain
cereal bars) need to be eaten rather than cakes, pastries, biscuits
and high-fat fast food. Daily consumption of fruits, of vegetables
and of milk, yoghurt or cheese should be encouraged, while nutritious
snacks should replace less nutritious snack foods and beverages.
Nutrients consumed
Of the range of nutrients reported in the NNS, the quantity consumed
increased with age, and boys generally consumed more than
girls.2 Levels of most nutrients per
unit of energy were similar, although girls had lower calcium
intakes. Both boys and girls consumed more fat than protein, and more
sugars than starch (the reverse of that for adults). The total fat
consumed as a percent of energy was around 33%,2 a little lower than the 35%
suggested by the NHMRC dietary guidelines.4 Saturated fat levels were
higher than the recommended 10% contribution levels, although they
generally decreased with age.2,4 The dietary guidelines
focus on promoting more calcium and iron in the diet, particularly in
girls. The NNS suggests that the intake of calcium and its key
milk-based sources needs to be higher, particularly as intakes
continue to decrease in adolescents.2,3 Adequate intake of
calcium is not just for meeting the needs of growth, but of optimising
peak bone mass and establishing appropriate lifetime food habits.
Similarly, iron levels, in girls in particular, need to be increased,
and appropriate food habits (eg, more cereal foods, lean meats, green
vegetables, legumes) established and continued into the adolescent
years.
Karen M Cashel
Med J Aust 2000; 173 Suppl 7 August: S4-S5
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2: Key points from the National Nutrition Survey, 19951
Cereals
- Over 98% of children had eaten cereal foods on the day before the interview, but 4-7-year-old girls and 8-11-year-old boys were not eating enough of these.
- The children ate a considerable amount of other cereal-based foods, but as biscuits, cakes, pastries, etc, rather than the recommended breads, breakfast cereals, pasta, fruit, grain-based nutritious snacks and rice.
Fruits
- Among 8-11-year-olds, just 56% of boys and 62% of girls ate fruit on the day before the interview.
- The number of serves (fresh, cooked or canned) consumed decreased with age.
Vegetables
- Vegetable consumption increased with age, but was less than the minimum quantity recommended.
- About one in four of the older children consumed no vegetables on the day before the interview.
Milk, yoghurt, cheese
- The minimum number of serves recommended was not achieved by any age group.
- The number of children consuming milk on the day before the interview decreased with age, from around 90% of 2-3-year-olds to around 78% of 8-11-year-olds.
- The proportion of children eating yoghurt, milk substitutes, and dishes containing milk or its products also decreased with age.
Meats, eggs, nuts, etc
- Children were consuming the minimum recommended number of serves of these.
Snack food, soft drinks
- Just over a third of 8-11-year-old children ate snack foods (potato crisps, corn chips, etc), half ate confectionery and over
a third drank soft drinks, flavoured mineral waters or electrolyte drinks on the day before the interview.
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