Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Children by Level of Variety, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013–2016

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To describe and compare fruit and vegetable intake by level of variety among children in What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES. Methods One-day dietary intake data of children 2–19 years (N = 5920) in WWEIA, NHANES 2013–2016 were used. Fruit and vegetable (FV) variety was the count of foods consumed that contributed to total FV intake. To be counted, at least 0.1 cup equivalent (CE) FV of each single FV item and 0.2 CE FV from a mixed dish had to have been consumed. Each FV was counted only once; a mixed dish counted as one. The Food Patterns Equivalents Database was used to determine the CE of FV intake. Individuals were classified for variety of intake as High (H) (5 + items); Moderate (M) (3–4 items); Low (L) (1–2 items). Percentage contribution of WWEIA Food Categories to FV intake was estimated. Differences in FV intakes between variety levels were compared by t-test. Those with a count of ‘0’ (N = 466) were excluded. Results Percentage of children in each variety level was: H: 15, M: 33; L: 44; none: 8%. Mean FV intakes (CE/1000 kcal) by variety level were H: 1.9; M: 1.4; L: 0.8 (P < 0.001). Distributions of 2–5y, 6–11y and 12–19y, respectively among variety levels were: H: 18, 16, 13%; M: 40, 32, 30%; L: 37, 44, 48%; none: 6, 8, 9%. For H, M, and L levels, respectively, fruit variety counts were 2.5, 1.5, and 0.5, and vegetable variety counts were 3.5, 2, and 1 (P < 0.001). Among all 2–19y, single FV items (excl 100% juice) contributed 64% to FV intake of the H vs M (55%) and L (50%), whereas Mixed Dishes contributed 12% to intake of H vs M (15%) and L (21%). The percentages of H, M and L groups reporting intake from WWEIA Food Categories were 89, 65 and 40 for Vegetables; 86, 65, and 35 for Fruit; and 79, 79, and 77 for Mixed Dishes. Conclusions FV variety was highest for very young children and lowest among adolescents. Children with more variety of FV intake were more likely to include single FV and in higher amounts than those with less FV variety. These results support suggestions for boosting FV intake of children by encouraging their consumption at snacks and including vegetable side dishes at meals. Funding Sources ARS-USDA.