Journal Article Review: Journal of the American Dietetic Association: "Food Consumption

Journal Article Review: Journal of the American Dietetic Association: "Food Consumption Patterns of Young Preschoolers: Are they starting off on the right path?"

This topic jumped out at me because the article was written somewhat recently (December 2010) and because we have been discussing supplemental intake in our class lectures. We also discussed young children's eating patterns and how they require different things than the adults around them to stay healthy. According to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, in 2008 children ages 2-3 were not eating particularly healthy. Their diets were low in fiber and high in sodium and saturated fats which are associated with higher risk of chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. The prevalence of obesity in these children was double what is was thirty years ago.

The article concluded that parents and caregivers of many young children "are following recommendations to avoid whole milk, limit consumption of fruit juice, and offer whole-grain breakfast cereals. However, the large proportion of children who did not consume any discrete servings of fruits or vegetables in a day and did consume sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and salty snacks is cause for concern. Because children's diets largely reflect household patterns, dietetics practitioners should use family-focused approaches to fostering the development of healthy eating habits. Parents and caregivers should be encouraged to expose young children to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and to limit consumption of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages, whether consumed as snacks or part of meals. Snacks should be limited and focused on water and low-fat or fat-free milk, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Dietary guidance should stress the fact that children in this age group have high nutrient needs and relatively low energy requirements, leaving little room for...