Fiber in the Diet of US Children:
Results of National Surveys
Fiber in the Diet of US Children:
Results of National Surveys
Saldanha LG.
Pediatrics, 1995 Nov, 96(5 Pt 2):994-7
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE.
Because fiber intake among children in the United States is
poorly documented, our objectives were to determine intakes and
sources of fiber in the diets of children 2 to 18 years of age
and to examine the trends.
METHODS.
We used the US Department of Agriculture's 1977 to 1978 and 1987
to 1988 Nationwide Food Consumption Surveys for our analysis.
Children were classified by age and gender groups, 2 to 5 years,
6 to 11 years, boys 12 to 18 years, and girls 12 to 18 years. The
percentages of children meeting the American Health Foundation's
fiber recommendations for children were also determined.
RESULTS.
Analyses of the US Department of Agriculture's 1977-1978 and
1987-1988 survey data indicate that:
 |
Large percentages (55% to 90%) of children are not meeting minimum fiber intake recommendations established by the American Health Foundation |
|
Mean fiber intakes declined between 1977-1978 and 1987-1988 |
|
Fiber from fruits and vegetables declined during this period |
|
Fiber from grains, especially from ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, increased significantly |
|
The results also show that eating breakfast contributes to meeting daily fiber recommendations |
CONCLUSIONS.
Given the importance of fiber in promoting optimum
gastrointestinal function in childhood and in treating chronic
diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in
adulthood, the trends documented in this article are disturbing
and suggest that efforts are needed to encourage the consumption
of fiber-rich foods among children.
