Snacking patterns among Chilean children and adolescents: is there potential for improvement?

Abstract

Objective: To examine snacking patterns, food sources, and nutrient profiles of snacks in low- and middle- income Chilean children and adolescents. Design: Cross-sectional. Dietary data were collected via 24-hour food recalls. We determined the proportion of snackers, snacks per day, and calories from top food and beverage groups consumed. We compared the nutrient profile (energy, sodium, total sugars, and saturated fat) of snacks versus meals. Setting: Southeast region of Chile. Subjects: Children and adolescents from 2 cohorts: the Food Environment Chilean Cohort (n = 958, 4– 6 years old) and the Growth and Obesity Cohort Study (n = 752, 12–14 years old). Results: With an average of 2.30 ± 0.03 snacks per day consumed, 95.2% of children and 89.9% of adolescents reported at least 1 snacking event. Snacks contributed on average 360 kilocalories per day in snacking children and 530 kilocalories per day in snacking adolescents (29.0% and 27.4% daily energy contribution, respectively). Grain-based desserts, salty snacks, other sweets and desserts, dairy foods, and cereal-based foods contributed the most energy from snacks in the overall sample. For meals, cereal- based foods, dairy beverages, meat and meat substitutes, oils and fats, and fruits and vegetables were the top energy contributors. Conclusions: Widespread snacking among Chilean youth provides over a quarter of their kilocalories per day and includes foods generally considered high in energy, saturated fat, sodium, and/or total sugars. Future research should explore whether snacking behaviors change as the result of Chile’s national regulations on food marketing, labeling and school environments.

Consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners by pre-schoolers of the food and environment Chilean cohort (FECHIC) before the implementation of the Chilean food labelling and advertising law

“…This is a descriptive analysis of baseline data from the Food and Environment Chilean Cohort -FEChiC [26][27][28]. For this cohort study, all public nursery schools located in the South East area of Santiago, Chile (n = 55) were invited to participate and 50 accepted to be part of the study.…”

The Role of Snack Choices, Body Weight Stereotypes and Smoking Behavior in Assessing Risk Factors for Adolescent Overweight and Obesity

“…Snacking constitutes a key element of adolescents’ food consumption patterns and daily life because snacks are among the first product that youths buy with their own money outside their family environment [ 13 , 14 ] and have a crucial role in socializing [ 15 ]. Snacks between meals contribute approximately a quarter to the total daily calorie intake in adolescents [ 16 , 17 ], and there has been a noticeable upward trend in snacking over the past decades [ 18 , 19 ].…”

The consumption of vegetables and fruits by teenagers and their nutritional status

“…Children and adolescents frequently eat snacks, often highly processed products with added fat, sugar, and salt [16,17]. Those who skipped meals consumed less fruits and vegetables but larger quantities of white bread, sweet drinks, and sweets.…”