Dairy food at the first occasion of eating is important for total dairy food intake for Australian children.

Malcolm Riley,Danielle Baird,Gilly Hendrie

doi:10.3390/nu6093878

Malcolm Riley, Danielle Baird + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6093878

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Abstract

The cross-sectional 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey collected detailed dietary information from a representative sample of more than 4400 children by 24-h dietary recall. Dairy food intake by Australian children is substantially lower than recommendations, and decreases as a percentage of energy intake as children grow older. Children aged 2 to 16 years are, on average, 2.3 times more likely to have a dairy food at the first daily occasion of eating, than at the second occasion. For children who consumed any dairy food at the first occasion of eating, the total daily intake of dairy foods was 129% (95% CI 120%–138%) greater than for children who did not consume a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. Their dairy food intake for the rest of the day following the first occasion of eating was also greater by 29% (95% CI 21%–37%). Younger age group, male sex, location of eating being at home or in a residence and starting the first occasion of eating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. are all jointly associated with having a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. A simple strategy to increase Australian children’s intake from the dairy and alternatives food group may be to make sure that the first occasion of eating each day includes a dairy food or a nutritional equivalent.

Highlights

Dairy foods contribute a significant percentage to a wide range of nutrients for children in different countries [1,2], and the importance of consuming dairy food in childhood and adolescence to maintain bone health has been established
The 2007 Australian national dietary survey of children indicates that the average amount of dairy food consumed by children aged 4 to 16 years is lower than the amounts recommended and decreases with age group [1]
No reason was stated for a dairy free or low dairy diet for 35 children (0.8%), while others stated reasons relating to dairy allergy or intolerance, or lactose intolerance (n = 41, 0.9%)

Summary

Introduction

Dairy foods contribute a significant percentage to a wide range of nutrients for children in different countries [1,2], and the importance of consuming dairy food in childhood and adolescence to maintain bone health has been established. Children who avoid drinking cow’s milk have reduced bone mineralization [3,4] and are at increased risk of bone fracture [5]. Women with a low milk intake during childhood have less bone mass during adult life and a greater risk of fracture [6]. The 2007 Australian national dietary survey of children indicates that the average amount of dairy food consumed by children aged 4 to 16 years is lower than the amounts recommended and decreases with age group [1]. An Australian longitudinal study [7] of children at the upper end of this age range (14 to 17 years) affirms a decrease in dairy food intake with age.

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Conclusion