Feeding practices and dietary intake in Brazilian children with Down syndrome: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Studies investigating the quality of the diet and dietary intake of children with Down syndrome (DS) are required because the features attributed to the syndrome can affect growth, development and quality of life. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 77 Brazilian children with DS between 5 and 36 months of age receiving care at the multidisciplinary outpatient clinic of the University Hospital. Participants' sociodemographic, dietary and anthropometric data were collected from the care protocols. Dietary data were collected from 24-h recalls and dietary practices were assessed according to the WHO dietary guidelines. Associations between inadequate feeding practices and demographic variables were assessed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Fruits, milk or infant formula, vegetables, beans and meat were among the five most consumed foods by the children investigated. Overall, we observed a high number of cases of early weaning (50.6%), low minimum dietary diversity (MDD; 40.3%), inadequate consistency for age (64.9%), early presence of ultra-processed foods (76.6%), sugars and sweets (33.8%) in the diet of the children with DS. In the associations of inadequate feeding practices by age group, low MDD [odds ratio (OR): 18.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4; 57.1] and inadequate consistency (OR: 6.65; 95% CI: 1.8; 24.7) were more frequent among children aged below 12 months while this relationship was inverse for early introduction of sugar and sweets (OR: 0.04; 95% CI: 0.01; 0.29). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed a high number of cases of inadequate dietary practices in children with DS investigated, which could adversely affect the long-term health of this population.

Food consumption on campus is associated with meal eating patterns among college students.

This is a cross-sectional analysis of data obtained in the baseline of the Longitudinal Study on the Lifestyle and Health of University Students (n 685) carried out in a public Brazilian university. Food intake was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall. Dietary patterns (DP) for breakfast, lunch and dinner were identified using principal component analysis. Generalised linear models were used to analyse the variables associated with each DP. Three DP were extracted for each meal: breakfast: 'White bread and butter/margarine', 'Coffee and tea' and 'Sausages, whole wheat bread and cheese'; lunch: 'Traditional', 'Western' and 'Vegetarian' and dinner: 'Beans, rice and processed juice', 'White bread and butter/margarine' and 'White meat, eggs and natural juice'. Students who had meals at the campus showed greater adherence to the 'White bread and butter/margarine' (exp (ßadj) = 1·15, 95 % CI 1·11, 1·19) and 'Coffee and tea' (exp (ßadj) = 1·06, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·10) breakfast patterns; 'Western' lunch pattern (exp (ßadj) = 1·04, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·08) and to the 'Beans, rice and processed juice' dinner pattern (exp (ßadj) = 1·10, 95 % CI 1·06, 1·14). Having meals at the campus was associated with lower adherence to the 'Sausages, whole wheat bread and cheese' breakfast pattern (exp (ßadj) = 0·93, 95 % CI 0·89, 0·97), 'Traditional' lunch pattern (exp (ßadj) = 0·96, 95 % CI 0·93, 0·99) and to the 'White bread and butter/margarine' (exp (ßadj) = 0·96, 95 % CI 0·93, 0·99) and 'White meat, eggs and natural juice' (exp (ßadj) = 0·96, 95 % CI 0·93, 0·99) dinner pattern. The food environment at campus may influence students' DP. Recognising meal eating patterns is important to support healthy eating promotion strategies on campus. Adjustments in the University Canteen menu could contribute to healthier eating choices among students.

Dietary Patterns and Their Socioeconomic and Behavioral Determinants in 6- to 8-Year-Old Portuguese Children.

Adherence to a healthier diet is declining, with children consuming more saturated fats and simple carbohydrates. Factors influencing this choice were studied using a cross-sectional study with children (6 to 8 years old) living in Coimbra. Socioeconomic and behavioral factors were obtained from the parents. Dietary patterns of 1,063 children were identified: Mediterranean (MedDiet), saturated fats (SFatDiet), and base of Portuguese diet (BPDiet). Their relationship with socioeconomic and behavioral determinants was analyzed. SES determined strongly the dietary choices with lower SES being associated with higher consumption of SFatDiet and higher SES with BPDiet. Worse diet quality was shown to coexist with other unhealthy behaviors.