Evaluation of Habitual Energy and Nutrient Intake in Children Attending Nursery Schools

Abstract

A dietary survey of 798 children (aged 3 to 6 years) attending nursery schools in seven cities in Japan was conducted using the weighing and recording method on two non-consecutive weekdays and holidays in fall 2019 and fall 2020. Habitual nutrient intakes on weekdays and holidays were calculated and compared with the standards for each indicator in the Dietary Reference Intakes for the Japanese Population (2020 edition). The percentage of preschool children with habitual nutrient intakes below the estimated average requirement (EAR) was significantly higher on holidays than on weekdays for vitamins A, B₁, B₂ and C, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron. These results suggested that nutrient intake was better on weekdays than on holidays. However, the percentage of children below the EAR for calcium was very high on both weekdays and holidays. On weekends, other nutrients were also found to be inadequately consumed, in addition to calcium, vitamins A and B₁, and iron. These results suggest that there is a need to increase the intake of calcium and other deficient nutrients by improving the dietary situation for preschool children when they are at home, as well as to provide adequate lunches and snacks at nursery schools.