Dietary patterns in toddlers

The Generation R Study

Jessica Kiefte-de Jong, RD, MScDepartment of Paediatrics / The Generation R Study group

Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Content

Objectives

Methods

Dietary pattern analysis

Results

Conclusion

Future perspectives

Objectives

Aim:

To identify dietary patterns in toddlers and to assess socio-demographic and lifestyle determinants of these dietary patterns

Identifying children at potential risk for unhealthy eating behaviour in future.

Forming a basis for future studies on dietary patterns and health outcomes within our cohort

Methods: Generation R

Generation R Study, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Population based prospective cohort study from fetal life onwards.

N=5088 mothers with a delivery data between April 2002 and January 2006 provided consent for follow-up and received a food frequency questionnaire for their child at 14 months.

(Mean; SD: 14; 2 months).

Methods: Food groups

Refined grains

Whole grains

Pasta and rice

Dairy

Fruit

Soy substitutes

Vegetables

Potatoes

Soups and sauces

Savoury and snacks

Confectionary

Vegetable oils

Other fats (margarines, butter)

Fish

Shellfish

Meat

Eggs

Legumes

Sugar-containing beverages

Non-sugar containing beverages

Composite dishes

Methods: statistical analyses (1)

Food groups were entered in PCA by grams/day consumed.

Dietary patterns with an Eigenvalue of >1.5 were extracted.

Explaining 24.5% of the variation in food consumption.

Varimax rotation to reduce correlation between patterns

Individual ‘adherence scores’ on the dietary patterns by using regression-based factor scores.

Multivariate analyses on dietary pattern score

Stepwise backward elimination procedure retaining only the strongest predictors.

Methods: statistical analyses (2)

Mother factors:

Maternal educational background

Household income

Marital status

Maternal alcohol consumption

Maternal smoking

Folic acid supplementation

Maternal BMI

Maternal age

Parity

Parental stress

Any history of depression or anxiety

Any diabetes, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia

Maternal macronutrient intake

Child factors:

Age of food assessment

Gender

Birth weight

Breast-feeding

Timing of solid introduction

Daycare attendance

Weight and Height

Watching TV

Variables in model:

Methods: Dietary patterns analysis (PCA)

‘Western-like dietary pattern’

‘Health conscious dietary pattern’

Mean intake

grams/day

Health conscious dietary pattern

Western-like dietary pattern

Refined bread and breakfast cereals 15 - 0.57

Whole bread and breakfast cereals 62 - -

Pasta and rice 23 0.62 -

Dairy 626 - -

Fruit 162 0.32 -

Soy substitutes 4 - -

Vegetables 52 0.74 -

Potatoes 34 0.61 -

Soups and sauces 9 - 0.23

Savoury and snacks 4 - 0.59

Confectionary 28 - 0.72

Vegetable oils 1 0.50 -

Animal fats 11 - 0.58

Fish 8 0.22 -

Shellfish 0.3 - -

Meat 26 0.21 0.27

Eggs 2 - -

Legumes 4 0.59 -

Sugar-containing beverages 198 - 0.59

Non-sugar containing beverages 56 - -

Composite dishes 102 - -

Results: Western-like dietary pattern

Maternal indicators of a Western-like dietary pattern

Difference in western-like dietary pattern score

Results: Western-like dietary pattern

Difference in western-like dietary pattern score

Child indicators of a Western-like dietary pattern

Introduction of solids after the age of 6 months

Results: Health conscious dietary pattern

Mother and child indicators of a Health conscious dietary pattern

Difference in Health conscious dietary pattern score

Conclusion

A Western-like and Health conscious dietary pattern can already be identified in children aged 14 months.

Adherence to a Western-like dietary pattern clusters with early-life risk factors for overweight in later life.

Determinants of a Health conscious diet may be less straightforward and need further elucidation

Future perspectives (1)

Dietary variety in toddlers

Tracking dietary patterns?

Consequences for later health?

Thank you for your attention!