Food consumption and nutrient intake of Finnish preschool children according to parental educational level

Abstract

We examined the association between parental educational level (PEL) and children’s food consumption and nutrient intake in a sample of Finnish 3- to 6-year-old preschoolers (n=811). The data were obtained from the cross-sectional DAGIS project, conducted in eight municipalities in Finland during 2015–2016. The food consumption and nutrient intake were assessed using food records. The highest educational level of the family was used as the indicator of socioeconomic status. Differences in diet by PEL were analysed using a hierarchical linear model adjusted for energy intake. Compared to high PEL, low PEL was associated with a child’s lower consumption of fresh vegetables and salads, vegetarian dishes, berries, white bread, blended spread, skimmed milk and ice cream but higher consumption of milk with 1–1.5% fat content, dairy-based desserts and sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Food consumption was also examined after disaggregating dishes into their ingredients. Low PEL was associated with lower consumption of vegetables, nuts and seeds, berries, and fish but higher consumption of red meat. Children in the low PEL, compared to the high PEL group, had a lower intake of protein, fibre, EPA, DHA, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, potassium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iodine but a higher intake of fat and saturated, trans and monounsaturated fatty acids. The observed diet-related disparities highlight the need for policy actions and interventions supporting healthy eating patterns such as high consumption of vegetables, nuts and berries in childhood, paying special attention to those with low PEL.