Food intake during childhood: percentiles of food energy, macronutrient and selected micronutrients from infancy to eight years of age.
We report percentile values for the food-energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake of children aged three months to eight years, and for the intake of selected essential minerals and vitamins of children aged four to eight years. The subjects comprised a cohort which had been studied prospectively since birth to the age of eight years. The data were collected by a weighed food record technique, which used for analysis the DIARYAN food data bank, at the ages of four, six and eight years, and by a dietary diary which was supplemented by a 48-hour parental recall during infancy and at the age of two years. Comparisons with previous studies show that food-energy intake now is approximately 10% less throughout childhood than in previous decades, and that this is accounted for by a decrease in the intake of fat. The intake of essential minerals and vitamins is similar to that of previous decades. As no large reference data are yet available for Australian children, these charts may be useful for child-health workers in the day-to-day assessment of children's intake and in counselling and teaching parents.