Abstract
Unhealthy dietary habits established in early infancy may lead to under or over nutrition later in life. This paper describes the energy, nutrients and food-type intake of 18-month-old infants belonging to the Italian PHIME cohort (n = 389) and evaluates adherence to the Italian dietary reference values (DRVs). Infant dietary data were collected using 7-day dietary records. Mean energy, macro and micronutrient intakes were estimated and compared with the DRVs. The percentage contribution of 19 selected food groups to total energy and macro- and micronutrient intake was determined with the aim of establishing the main food sources. Most infants’ diet shared common characteristics: poor variety, excessive intake of proteins (16.5 E% vs. 8–12 E% DRV) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (13.8 E% vs. <10 E% DRV), mainly derived from milk and dairy products, and low intake of total fats (33.2 E% vs. 35–40 E% DRV), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (3.1 E% vs. 5–10 E% DRV), vitamin D (1.1 vs. 15 µg/day DRV) and iron (4.5 vs. 8 mg/day DRV). The unbalanced distribution of macronutrients was reflected in energy intakes outside DRV ranges for more than half the infants. Public health interventions promoting healthy eating habits from early on, even from pregnancy, could yield significant short- and long-term health benefits.
Highlights
The first two years of life are a critical period of rapid physical growth and cognitive development and have an impact on short- and long-term health
This period of life is characterized by high energy and nutrients requirements and a rapid transition from a primarily milk-based diet to a varied diet with several food groups being consumed on a daily basis [1]
The main objective of the present paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of the dietary intake of energy, macro- and micronutrients in an Italian infant cohort at 18 months of age, while assessing food group choices
Summary
The first two years of life are a critical period of rapid physical growth and cognitive development and have an impact on short- and long-term health (e.g., infant neurodevelopmental disorders, childhood and adult obesity, adult cardiovascular diseases, adult diabetes, adult chronic diseases) This period of life is characterized by high energy and nutrients requirements and a rapid transition from a primarily milk-based diet (human milk and/or infant formula) to a varied diet with several food groups being consumed on a daily basis [1]. Several longitudinal studies have described the strong association of pediatric obesity with persistence of obesity in adulthood, increased risk of future cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, as well as reduced life expectancy [5] For this reason, a comprehensive dietary assessment among infants and toddlers, to monitor energy and nutrient requirements for growth and development, is essential to protect future health [1]. A number of European countries, recognizing that infant diet is made of foods rather than individual nutrients, have translated dietary intake recommendations for infants and young children into food-based dietary guidelines to help provide caregivers with an indication of suitable age-appropriate foods to meet dietary needs and recommendations [7]
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