Contribution of Dairy Foods to Energy and Nutrient Intake in Infants’ and Toddlers’ Diets, 4–23 Months of Age: An Analysis of NHANES 2013–2016 Data

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of total dairy, milk, cheese, and yogurt to energy and nutrient intake in infants’ and toddlers’ diets, age 4–23 months, using the most recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2016. Methods Data from NHANES 2013–2014 and 2015–2016 for subjects 4 months to less than 24 months of age was used with exclusions for consumers of human milk and those with incomplete data. Nutrient intakes from total dairy, milk (milk, flavored milk, dairy drinks, and substitutes), cheese, and yogurt were determined using the USDA databases. Separate analyses were done for age groups: 4–6 months (n = 136), 7–11 months (n = 226), 12–17 months (n = 200) and 18–23 months (n = 196) after adjusting for complex sample design of NHANES. Results Conclusions Contribution of dairy foods for energy and most nutrients was 1% or less for infants 4–6 months, 16% or less for ages 7–11months and more than 25% for age 12–17 months and 18–23 months; and milk was always the main contributor of energy and most nutrients. Funding Sources National Dairy Council.