Adapting the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To define the research process for adapting current food guidance for young children. The Food Guide Pyramid illustrates a food guide designed to help Americans 2 years of age and over to apply the Dietary Guidelines in selecting a healthy diet. Recent reports have expressed concern about the appropriateness of Dietary Guidelines-style diets for young children, who have special nutrient and developmental needs relating to dietary behavior. This study describes a systematic research process used to adapt the Food Guide Pyramid for children aged 2 to 6 years, and to develop food-guide based nutrition messages for caregivers to improve nutrition of this vulnerable age group. First, goals and objectives for the Pyramid were adapted for young children: nutrient objectives were set at the Recommended Dietary Allowances and recommended energy intakes for children 1–6; Dietary Guidelines objectives for fat and saturated fat were specified to phase in by about age 5; other objectives considered developmental and practical issues for caregivers in using the food guide with young children. Next, data on reported food consumption of 1737 children aged 2–6 from the 1989–91 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals were used to develop composite nutrient profiles for each food group and subgroup in the food guide, and to estimate portion sizes typically reported. Then these adapted composites and portion sizes were used to calculate expected nutrient levels in food patterns suggested by the Pyramid, and compared to nutrient objectives established for young children. Additional guidance was developed and tested to address any nutrient shortfalls noted; for example, selection of an iron-fortified cereal 4–5 times a week, to meet the higher iron RDA for children 1–3 years. Finally, patterns of food group/subgroup selection recommended by the adapted food guide were compared to consumption reported for young children as a starting point for developing an array of potential food-guide-based nutrition messages to be further assessed for appeal and usefulness by market research with parents/caregivers of young children.