Dietary habits and nutritional status of children from Ukraine during the first 3 years of life

Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess the nutritional status and eating behavior of young children and identify the prevalence of macro- and micronutrient diet deficiencies in Ukraine. Materials and methods: Three hundred and fifty children aged from 9 months to 3 years from central, eastern and western regions of Ukraine were involved in the cross-sectional study. Basic child's data were collected, health status was assessed by a physician, and parents used a 3-day food diary and a food questionnaire for self-completion. Data from the diaries and questionnaires were analyzed with DietPlan 6 software. Results: The diet composition was mostly adequate for age. Overall average provision with energy (1165.67 [29.67–4951.33] kcal/day), protein (40.53 [0.63–230.37] g/day) and carbohydrates (153.63 [3.53–708.7] g/day) exceeded the corresponding standards. The diet of the majority of children did not comply with the recommended intake of zinc (91%), iron (68%), calcium (61%), iodine (49%), vitamins A (99%), D (97%), B6 (89%), B12 (71%), E (70%) and B1 (61%). Excessive weight was significantly associated with higher levels of energy, protein, carbohydrates and fat consumption. Overweight was reliably correlated with a higher diet's energy and carbohydrates content. Conclusions: The contemporary diet of young children in Ukraine, like in many other developed countries, is generally unbalanced, containing an excess of energy and protein as well as inadequate amount of many minerals and vitamins.