[Intake of main food among the children aged 6-17 years in different regions of China in 2019-2021].

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the intakes of main food among the children of 6-17 years in different regions of China from 2019 to 2021, and to provide a scientific basis for evaluation and guiding Chinese children to make reasonable diet.

Methods: Multistage stratified random sampling method was used to collect data in east China, north China, central China, south China, southwest, northwest and northeast seven areas of each random two provinces, randomly selected from each province one urban survey site and one rural survey site, 28 sites of the 13th Five Year National Science and Technology Basic Resources Survey Project-Chinese children aged 0-18 investigation and application of nutrition and health system in 14 provinces of China. The study included 6413 children aged 6 to 17. Three consecutive 24-hour recalls method combined with weighing were used to collect the information of food intake. According to the food classification in the standard version of the food composition list, the food was divided into cereals, tubers, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, meat and poultry, fish and shrimp, eggs, milk, etc. , and the intake of various foods was calculated for boys and girls aged 6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17 in different regions.

Results: Compared with the average daily food intake of children of the same sex and age in the urban and rural, The average daily intake of cereals and tubers for boys aged 9-17, cereals for girls aged 9-17, tubers for girls aged 12-17, and fish and shrimp for boys of edible population aged 15-17 were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. There were differences in the average daily food intake and consumption rate of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, meat and poultry, eggs and milk of the same sex and age, which were higher in urban than in rural areas(P<0.05). Compared with the average daily food intake of children of the same sex and age in the south and the north, the average daily intake of cereals and eggs for boys aged 9-14, cereals for girls aged 6-8, and fresh fruits for boys and girls of edible population aged 6-17 were higher in the north than in the south. There were differences in average daily intake and consumption rates of tubers, fresh vegetables, meat and poultry, milk and fish and shrimp of the same sex and age, which were higher in the south than in the north(P<0.05). Compared with the average daily food intake of children of the same sex and age in the eastern, central and western regions, the average daily intake of cereals for boys aged 6-14, cereals for girls aged 6-17, fresh fruits for boys and girls of edible population aged 6-17, and fish and shrimp for boys and girls of edible population aged 15-17 were lower in the eastern region than in the central and western regions. The average daily intake of tubers for boys aged 9-11 and 15-17, for girls aged 9-17 were higher in the western regions than the eastern and central regions. The average daily intake of eggs for boys and girls aged 12-17 was lower in western regions than the eastern and central regions. There were differences in average daily intake and consumption rates of fresh vegetables, meat and poultry and milk of the same sex and age, which were higher in the eastern region than in the central and western regions. (P<0.05). The proportion of coarse grains to cereals was low, between 3.7% and 10.1%. The proportion of pork to meat and poultry was high, between 56.1% and 71.4%.

Conclusion: In China, there are differences in daily intake of main food for children aged 6 to 17 years old in urban and rural areas, north and south areas, east, central and west areas.