Consumption of industrialized food by infants attending child day care centers

• Published in: Revista Paulista de Pediatria 2014-03, Vol.32 (1), p.37-42
• Main Authors: Toloni, Maysa Helena de A., Longo-Silva, Giovana, Konstantyner, Tulio, Taddei, Jose Augusto de A. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alimentos industrializados; consumo de alimentos; guarderias; habitos alimentares; lactantes; Original
• ISSN: 0103-0582; 1984-0462; 1984-0462
• DOI: 10.1590/S0103-05822014000100007

Objective: To identify the age of introduction of petit suisse cheese and instant noodles in the diet of infants attending nurseries of public day care centers and to compare the nutritional composition of these foods with the healthy recommended diet (breast milk and salt meal) for this age, in order to estimate nutritional errors. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 366 children (from nine to 36 months old) who attended day care centers, whose mothers were interviewed about the age of introduction of those foods. The means of the nutrients indicated on the labels of the most consumed brands were considered. For the calculation of the percent composition of breast milk and salt meal, Tables of Food Composition were used. To assess the nutritional adequacy, we used the Dietary Reference Intakes by age group. The percentage of adequacy evaluation of the petit suisse cheese and the instant noodles nutritional compositions was made by comparing them with those of the human milk and the salt meal, respectively. Results: The petit suisse cheese and the instant noodles were consumed by 89.6 and 65.3% of the children in the first year of life. The percentages of adequacy for carbohydrates were more than twice and the percentages for sodium were 20 times higher than those found in the recommended foods. Conclusions: Both industrialized products are inappropriate for infants, emphasizing the need for adoption of norms that can inform health professionals, educators and parents about the risks of consumption. Objetivo: Identificar a idade de introdução do queijo petit suisse e do macarrão instantâneo na dieta de lactentes matriculados em berçários de creches públicas/filantrópicas e comparar suas composições nutricionais com a alimentação recomendada para a idade (leite materno e refeição salgada), visando estimar erros nutricionais. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 366 crianças (de nove a 36 meses) de berçários de creches, cujas mães foram entrevistadas sobre idade de introdução dos alimentos. Consideraram-se as médias de nutrientes indicadas nos rótulos das marcas mais consumidas. No cálculo da composição centesimal do leite materno e da refeição salgada, utilizaram-se Tabelas de Composição de Alimentos. Para avaliação da adequação nutricional, utilizaram-se as Recomendações de Ingestão Diária por faixa etária. A avaliação dos percentuais de adequação das composições nutricionais do petit suisse e do macarrão instantâneo foi feita comparando-as com as do leite matern