Carbohydrate consumption by children of different age groups.(From 24 hour diet recall).

Abstract

Research during the last two decades has firmly established that diet is one of the major risk factors in the development of a spectrum of non-communicable diseases and the major part of the diet is comprised of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the single most important source of food energy in the world. Diet quality follows a socioeconomic gradient. Where higher-quality diets are often associated with greater affluence, energy-dense diets that are nutrient-poor are preferentially consumed by persons of lower socioeconomic status (SES) and of more limited economic mean. The aim of the present study is to assess the carbohydrate consumption of children of different age groups. Data was collected from 480 samples using a 24 hour dietary recall method. The samples were selected from Mumbai city. The samples were selected from three age groups 3-6 years, 10-12 years and 13-15 years. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS software. It was noted that children belonging to age group of 13-15 years of middle socioeconomic strata had the highest consumption of added simple carbohydrates whereas children belonging to age group 13-15 years of low socioeconomic strata had the highest consumption of complex carbohydrates. Moreover it was observed that children’s age has a significant influence on consumption of energy, carbohydrates and percentage energy obtained from carbohydrates. Results from the present study concluded that the mean carbohydrate intake was highest among 13-15 years children belonging to HSES and the least intake was observed in 6-9 years children of LSES which shows that diet quality follows a socioeconomic gradient.