Children's food consumption patterns have changed over two decades (1973-1994): The Bogalusa Heart Study

Objective To evaluate types of foods and amounts consumed by 10-year-old children during the period from 1973 to 1994. Design One 24-hour dietary recall was collected on each child who participated in one of seven separate cross-sectional surveys of 10-year-olds. Subjects/Setting Dietary intake data was collected on 1,584 10-year-old children (65% Euro American, 35% African American), in Bogalusa, LA, from 1973 to 1994 using SAS 8.0 (1999, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC). Statistical Analyses Performed Data were analyzed to calculate descriptive statistics. Pearson's chi(2) test was used for testing equality of percentage of each food group consumed across the seven surveys. Cochran-Armitage trend test and general linear models were used to test for trends, adjusting for total energy intake, ethnicity, and sex. Results The percentage of children consuming, and the mean gram amount consumed, significantly decreased for fats/oils (P<.0001), desserts (P<.0001), candy (P<.0001), eggs (P<.001), and milk (P<.0001). In contrast the percentage of children consuming, and the mean grain amount consumed, significantly increased for fruits/fruit juices (P<.01), mixed meats (P<.01), poultry (P<.0001), and cheese (P<.0001). Despite a significant decrease in the percentage of children consuming vegetables (P<.01) and beef (P<.01), the mean gram amount consumed did not change. The percentage of children consuming breads/grains, pork, and snacks did not change, but the mean gram amount of salty snacks (P<.001) significantly increased and the amount of breads/grains (P<.01) and pork (P<.01) significantly decreased. The percentage of children consuming sweetened beverages (P<.01) and condiments (P<.001) decreased while the mean gram amount consumed increased (P<.05) and (P<.0001). The mean gram amount of lunch and dinner consumed increased (P<.0001) but snacks decreased (P<.0001), resulting in no change in total gram amount consumed in a 24-hour period. Conclusions Trends in food consumption patterns of children should be considered in the design and implementation of population-based behavior strategies for the promotion of health and prevention of chronic diseases beginning in childhood.