Abstract
To explore eating patterns and snacking among US infants, toddlers and pre-school children. The Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) 2008 was a cross-sectional national survey of children aged 6-47 months, weighted to reflect US age and racial/ethnic distributions. Dietary data were collected using one multiple-pass 24h recall. Eating occasions were categorized as meals, snacks or other (comprised of all feedings of breast milk and/or infant formula). The percentage of children consuming meals and snacks and their contribution to total energy, the number of snacks consumed per day, energy and nutrients coming from snacks and the most commonly consumed snacks were evaluated by age. A national sample of US infants, toddlers and pre-school children. A total of 2891 children in five age groups: 6-8 months (n 249), 9-11 months (n 256), 12-23 months (n 925), 24-35 months (n 736) and 36-47 months (n 725). Snacks were already consumed by 37 % of infants beginning at 6 months; by 12 months of age, nearly 95 % were consuming at least one snack per day. Snacks provided 25 % of daily energy from the age of 12 months. Approximately 40 % of toddlers and pre-school children consumed fruit and cow's milk during snacks; about 25 % consumed 100 % fruit juice. Cookies were introduced early; by 24 months, 57 % consumed cookies or candy in a given day. Snacking is common, contributing significantly to daily energy and nutrient needs of toddlers and pre-school children. There is room for improvement, however, with many popular snacking choices contributing to excess sugar.
Highlights
About 37 % of 6–8-month-olds, 72 % of 9–11-month-olds and 95 % of toddlers and preschool children consumed some type of food or beverage during snacking occasions on a given day
Snacking occasions were designated by the parent or caregiver during the dietary interview and refer to the eating occasion rather than the consumption of specific types of foods or beverages, similar to what is done during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dietary interviews[11]
When breast milk and infant formula were excluded, we found that toddlers and pre-schoolers consumed a quarter of their daily energy from snacks (25 % of total energy intake (TEI)), roughly equivalent to the energy contribution from lunch or dinner
Summary
Study design and participants The FITS 2008 was a cross-sectional dietary intake study of a national sample of US children living in the fifty states and the District of Columbia, designed to obtain information on the diets and feeding practices of infants, toddlers and pre-school children[12]. As reported previously[12], the full study sample was composed of 3274 children from birth up to the age of 4 years. The sample included both males (52·8 (SE 1·44) %) and females (47·2 (SE 1·44) %). 29·7 (SE 1·32) % of participants received benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The current analysis includes data from 2891 infants, toddlers and pre-school children divided into five age groups: infants aged 6–8·9 months and 9–11·9 months, toddlers aged 12–23·9 months, and pre-school children aged 24–35·9 months and 36–47·9 months
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
