OBJETIVO: Descrever e discutir a introdução de alimentos industrializados na dieta de crianças frequentadoras de berçários em creches, considerando a recomendação do Ministério da Saúde para uma alimentação saudável. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 270 crianças frequentadoras de berçários de 8 creches públicas e filantrópicas do município de São Paulo. Por meio de questionário estruturado e pré-codificado, foi avaliada a introdução de alimentos a partir de 11 perguntas. Para cada alimento analisado foi registrada a idade em meses de introdução e avaliada a concordância com o oitavo passo do Guia Alimentar. No estudo das associações, utilizou-se o teste Qui-quadrado, a partir das variáveis idade e escolaridade maternas, renda familiar e trabalho da mãe fora do lar. RESULTADOS: Os resultados mostram que para aproximadamente 2/3 das crianças foram oferecidos, antes dos 12 meses, alimentos com potencial obesogênico, como macarrão instantâneo, salgadinhos, bolacha recheada, suco artificial, refrigerante e bala/pirulito/chocolate. São os filhos de mães com baixa escolaridade, mais jovens e com menor renda, os mais susceptíveis ao erro alimentar de introdução precoce de alimentos industrializados. CONCLUSÃO: Diante desses resultados, medidas educativas e preventivas devem ser propostas para a formação de hábitos alimentares saudáveis desde a infância, além da criação de campanhas abrangentes e efetivas que estimulem o consumo de frutas e hortaliças, considerando-se os fatores culturais, comportamentais e afetivos envolvidos com a alimentação.

A B S T R A C T ObjectiveThis study assessed menu quality and plate waste in public day care centers of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. MethodsThis cross-sectional study collected data from the nurseries of seven day care centers, totaling 366 children aged 12 to 36 months. Each day care center was assessed for three days, totaling 42 days and 210 meals. Menu quality was assessed by the Qualitative Analysis of Menu Preparations method (Análise Qualitativa das Preparações do Cardápio), adapted for day care centers, which provides nutritional and sensory criteria. Food waste was determined by the Plate Waste-Ingestion Index. ResultsThe supply of vegetables was inadequate in more than 90% of the days, and the amount of leafy vegetables and high-sulfur foods met the recommended amounts on 50% of the days. The supply of sweets and foods containing trans fatty acids was considerable. The Plate Waste-Ingestion Index for daycare centers varied from 25% to 43%, and the Plate Waste-Ingestion Index for food items varied from 11% to 47%.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying at what age infants enrolled in public day care centers are introduced to soft drinks and industrialized juice, as well as comparing the nutritional composition of these goods with natural fruit juice. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with the mothers of 636 children (aged 0 to 36 months) from nurseries of day care centers, who were asked questions about the age of feeding introduction. This study evaluated the proximate composition of soft drinks and artificial juice, comparing them with those of natural fruit juice regarding energy, sugar, fiber, vitamin C, and sodium values. The chemical composition of fruit juice was obtained by consulting the Table of Food Composition and, for industrialized drinks, the average nutritional information on the labels of the five most consumed product brands. RESULTS: The artificial drinks were consumed before the first year of life by more than half of the children studied, however, approximately 10% consumed them before the age of 6 months. With regard to the comparison among the drinks, artificial fruit juice beverages and soft drinks proved to contain from nine to 13 times higher amounts of sodium, and 15 times less vitamin C than natural juices. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of soft drinks and industrialized juice in the diet of infants was inopportune and premature.. When compared to natural fruit juice, these have inferior nutritional composition, which suggests the urgent need for measures based on strategies for food and nutrition education in order to promote awareness and the maintenance of healthy eating habits.

Objective: To identify the age at which ultra-processed foods are introduced in the diet of infants enrolled in public daycare centers and analyze these foods' nutritional composition according to the Traffic Light Labelling system adapted to the Brazilian norms and recommendations.Methods: Cross-sectional study including 636 nursery age children attending day care centers. Their mothers were interviewed about the age of introduction of instant noodles, snack chips, encased meat, chocolate, ice cream, and stuffed cookies. The proximate composition of these foods was evaluated according to the Traffic Light Labelling adapted to the Brazilian norms and recommendations, which classifies total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, fiber, and sodium amounts as green, yellow, or red indicators.Results: It was found that before 12 months of age 70.6% of children had consumed instant noodles, 65.9% snack chips, 54.7% encased meat, 67.1% chocolate, 36.9% ice cream, and 68.7% stuffed cookies. In addition, all foods were classified as red for saturated fat and sodium and 50.0% were classified as red for total fat.Conclusion: The introduction of ultra-processed foods in the children's diets occurred early, but it is worth mentioning that such foods have an inadequate nutritional composition, contributing to the excess consumption of total fat, saturated fat, and sodium, as well as low fiber.

Evaluation of food consumption at public day care centers in São Paulo, Brazil ABSTRACTObjective: To evaluate the energy intake and dietary adequacy of children attending nurseries of public and not-for-profit daycare centers in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at 16 nurseries, attended by 236 children between the ages of 12 and 29 months. Data collection was carried out by the direct weighing method over three nonconsecutive days. The DietWin ® 2.0 Professional software was used for nutritional calculations. The adequacy of energy, protein, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C intake was calculated, also with the aforementioned software, using 2002 National Research Council Estimated Average Requirements as a reference. Adequate Intake (1999) was used as the reference for calcium intake, and Estimated Energy Requirements (2002), for evaluation of energy intake. Data were analyzed using the Epi-Info 3.4.3 software.Results: We identified deficiencies in energy, iron, and calcium intake (mean deficits of 49.78%, 81.67%, and 57.44% respectively), as well as excessive intake of protein (183.27%) and vitamins A and C (126.86% and 57.44% respectively). Regarding macronutrients, fat intake was also found to be inadequate.Conclusions: Although the meals served at public daycare centers in Brazil are planned by dietitians, the findings of this study reveal potential flaws in the way food is prepared, portioned, and offered to children. These results demonstrate the need for further recycling and ongoing supervision to ensure the provision of adequate levels of food consumption to this population.