Diet Quality of Canadian Preschool Children: Associations with Socio-demographic Characteristics
Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
20 April 2021
Abstract
Purpose: To examine associations between preschoolers’ diet quality and parent and child socio-demographic variables.
Methods: Cross-sectional analysis with 117 preschoolers. Parents reported socio-demographics and their children’s diet using 3-day food records. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015. Linear regression models were used to analyze associations between socio-demographics and HEI scores.
Results: A total of 86% of children had an HEI-2015 score in the “needs improvement” category (51–80 out of a maximum of 100). Children’s overall HEI-2015 score was inversely associated with children’s age (β = −0.19, 95% CI −0.37, −0.02). Parental education was positively associated with children’s overall HEI score (β = 9.58, 95% CI 3.81, 15.35) and with scores for total fruit (β = 1.00, 95% CI 0.39, 1.76), vegetables (β = 1.11, 95% CI 0.03, 2.18), total protein (β = 1.06, 95% CI 0.28, 1.84), and seafood/plant protein (β = 1.67, 95% CI 0.43, 2.89) components. Children who identified as Caucasian (β = 4.29, 95% CI 2.46, 6.14), had a Caucasian parent (β = 3.01, 95% CI 0.78, 5.25), or parents who were born in Canada (β = 2.32, 95% CI 0.53, 4.11) had higher scores for dairy.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that preschoolers’ diet quality needs improvement and that children’s diet quality varies by children’s age and parental education level.
Résumé
Objectif. Examiner les associations entre la qualité de l’alimentation des enfants d’âge préscolaire et les variables sociodémographiques des parents et des enfants.
Méthodes. Analyse transversale auprès de 117 enfants d’âge préscolaire. Les parents ont fourni des données sociodémographiques et sur l’alimentation de leurs enfants au moyen de journaux alimentaires tenus sur 3 jours. La qualité de l’alimentation a été évaluée à partir de l’indice de saine alimentation (ISA) 2015. Des modèles de régression linéaire ont été employés pour analyser les associations entre les données sociodémographiques et les scores d’ISA.
Résultats. Au total, 86 % des enfants ont obtenu un score d’ISA-2015 dans la catégorie « besoin d’amélioration » (51 à 80 sur un maximum de 100). Le score global d’ISA-2015 des enfants était inversement associé à leur âge (β = -0,19; IC à 95 % : -0,37–-0,02). L’éducation des parents était positivement associée au score global d’ISA de l’enfant (β = 9,58; IC à 95 % : 3,81–15,35) et aux scores pour les composantes fruits totaux (β = 1,00; IC à 95 % : 0,39–1,76), légumes (β = 1,11; IC à 95 % : 0,03–2,18), protéines totales (β = 1,06; IC à 95 % : 0,28–1,84) et fruits de mer/protéines végétales (β = 1,67; IC à 95 % : 0,43–2,89). Les enfants désignés comme étant de race blanche (β = 4,29; IC à 95 % : 2,46–6,14), dont un parent est de race blanche (β = 3,01; IC à 95 % : 0,78–5,25) ou dont les parents sont nés au Canada (β = 2,32; IC à 95 % : 0,53–4,11) ont obtenu des scores plus élevés pour les produits laitiers.
Conclusions. Nos résultats suggèrent que la qualité de l’alimentation des enfants d’âge préscolaire doit être améliorée et que la qualité de l’alimentation des enfants varie selon leur âge et le niveau d’éducation des parents.
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Financial support: ACL receives a post-doctoral scholarship from the São Paulo State Foundation (process n° 2015/20852-7). The Guelph Family Health Study Pilot was funded by the Health for Life Initiative—University of Guelph.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Published In
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Volume 82 • Number 3 • September 2021
Pages: 131 - 135
Editor: Naomi Cahill Ph.D RD
History
Version of record online: 20 April 2021
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© 2021.
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Ana CarolinaLemePhD, RD, DabrowkaMuszynskiMSc, RD, Julia A.MirottaBASc, MSc, NicholasCarollBASc, Jaimie L.HoganBASc, MSc, KiraJewellMSc, JessicaYuBASc, Regina MaraFisbergPhD, RD, Alison M.DuncanPhD, RD, David W.L.MAPhD, JessHainesPhD, RD, and On behalf of the Guelph Family Health Study. 2021. Diet Quality of Canadian Preschool Children: Associations with Socio-demographic Characteristics. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research.
82(3): 131-135. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2021-009
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