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Dietary and Nutritional Assessment in Children

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 6550

Special Issue Editor

Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Interests: child nutrition and growth; maternal nutrition; nutritional supplements (zinc, iron, multivitamins); randomized controlled trial; observational study; meta-analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Children are in a critical period of rapid physical and intellectual development. An adequate intake of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals are necessary to ensure optimal child growth. In addition, nutritious foods improve cognitive function. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that children who eat a healthy diet are more likely to perform better in school and have higher academic achievement. A healthy diet also prevents child obesity, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancers in later life. Therefore, providing infants and children with a balanced diet is critical to support their physical and mental growth and development.

This Special Issue welcomes manuscript submissions of original research, meta-analyses, or reviews of the scientific literature. Manuscripts can focus on the effects of dietary factors and the provision of nutritional supplements to pregnant women and/or children on children’s health outcomes in clinical, epidemiological, or experimental studies. Research focused on dietary assessment and innovative nutritional assessments with the use of body composition measures, biochemical markers, and nutritional metabolomics during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood are also welcome.

Dr. Enju Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • dietary assessment
  • nutritional assessment
  • children
  • anthropometric measurement
  • body composition
  • biochemical analysis
  • nutritional metabolomics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 609 KiB  
Article
Diet and Nutritional Status of Polish Girls with Rett Syndrome—A Case-Control Study
by Aneta Czerwonogrodzka-Senczyna, Magdalena Milewska, Paweł Kwiecień and Krzysztof Szczałuba
Nutrients 2023, 15(15), 3334; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153334 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1559
Abstract
(1) Background: Rett syndrome may be considered a disease strongly associated with nutritional disorders that are likely to require special management strategies, extending beyond what is usually required for children with other developmental disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Rett syndrome may be considered a disease strongly associated with nutritional disorders that are likely to require special management strategies, extending beyond what is usually required for children with other developmental disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional status and diet of Polish girls with Rett syndrome. (2) Methods: Each patient (study group = 49, control group = 22) underwent anthropometric measurements, including body weight and height, waist, hip and arm circumference, and skinfold measurement. The assessment of the diet was based on the analysis of 7-day menus and the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ-6). Data were analyzed using Statistica 13.3. (3) Results: The majority of the girls with Rett syndrome were deficient in weight and height, and consumed fewer calories, less protein, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron than the control group. They also drank less fluid. Soft products that were easy to chew and considered to be high in energy value were significantly more common in the menus. (4) Conclusions: Girls with Rett syndrome are characterized by weight deficiencies, poor growth that deteriorates with age, and are at risk of food shortages. Various nutritional intervention strategies should be explored to reduce and, if possible, prevent malnutrition and cachexia in such patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary and Nutritional Assessment in Children)
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24 pages, 6015 KiB  
Article
Trends in Mean Energy and Nutrient Intakes in Japanese Children and Adolescents: The National Health and Nutrition Survey, 1995–2019
by Chisa Shinsugi and Hidemi Takimoto
Nutrients 2023, 15(15), 3297; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153297 - 25 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1790
Abstract
This study aimed to describe the national trends in mean energy and nutrient intakes in Japanese children and adolescents from 1995 to 2019. We used data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Survey and included 54,871 participants aged 1–19 years. The dietary [...] Read more.
This study aimed to describe the national trends in mean energy and nutrient intakes in Japanese children and adolescents from 1995 to 2019. We used data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Survey and included 54,871 participants aged 1–19 years. The dietary intake was estimated using a 1-day, semi-weighed, household-based, dietary record. The trends of mean energy and nutrient intakes were analyzed using the Joinpoint Regression Program. A declining trend in the mean energy intake was observed in toddlers aged 1–6 years, school girls aged 7–14 years, and adolescent girls aged 15–19 years, while the mean energy intake from protein, fat, and carbohydrates changed little over time. The mean salt equivalent showed a decreasing trend in all age groups, although the 2019 mean values were above the tentative dietary goal for preventing lifestyle-related diseases, especially in adolescent boys. Declining trends in mean vitamin (vitamin A, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin K) and mineral (calcium, iron, and copper) intakes were observed, while trends in the mean vitamin B6 and zinc intakes were unchanged since 2001. Continuous monitoring of dietary intake and further research are required to raise awareness of unhealthy diet habits and to improve the food environment for the healthy growth and development of children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary and Nutritional Assessment in Children)
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17 pages, 1773 KiB  
Article
Effect of Oral Nutritional Supplementation on Adequacy of Nutrient Intake among Picky-Eating Children at Nutritional Risk in India: A Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial
by Fahmina Anwar, Menaka Yalawar, Pranali Suryawanshi, Apurba Ghosh, Pramod Jog, Anuradha Vaman Khadilkar, Bala Kishore, Anil Kumar Paruchuri, Prahalad D. Pote, Ravi D. Mandyam, Sandeep Shinde and Atish Shah
Nutrients 2023, 15(11), 2528; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112528 - 29 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2738
Abstract
Nutrient inadequacies among picky-eaters have adverse effects on growth and development. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) along with dietary counseling (DC), rather than DC alone as reported in our earlier publication, promoted growth among picky-eating Indian children aged from >24 m to ≤48 m [...] Read more.
Nutrient inadequacies among picky-eaters have adverse effects on growth and development. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) along with dietary counseling (DC), rather than DC alone as reported in our earlier publication, promoted growth among picky-eating Indian children aged from >24 m to ≤48 m with weight-for-height percentiles lying between the 5th and 25th (based on WHO Growth Standards) over 90 days. This paper presents the contribution of ONS to nutrient adequacy, dietary diversity, and food consumption patterns in children (N = 321). Weight, height, and dietary intakes, using 24-h food recalls, were measured at baseline (Day 1) and at Days 7, 30, 60, and 90. Nutrient adequacy, dietary diversity score (DDS), and food intake adequacy were calculated in both the supplementation groups (ONS1 + DC and ONS2 + DC; n = 107 in each group) and the control group (DC-only; n = 107). Supplements increased nutrient adequacy in both of the ONS + DC groups relative to control (p < 0.05). The proportions of children with adequate nutrient intakes increased significantly at Day 90 in the supplemented groups as compared to in the control group (p < 0.05), especially for total fat, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and thiamin. Although no significant differences were observed in DDS in any of the groups, the percentage of children consuming ≥4 food groups in a day had increased in all the groups. Consumption of fruit and vegetables and cereals had increased significantly from baseline to Day 90. ONS along with dietary counseling was found to have improved nutritional adequacy without interfering with the normal food consumption patterns of picky-eating children at nutritional risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary and Nutritional Assessment in Children)
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