Food sources and correlates of sodium and potassium intakes in Flemish pre-school children

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 15; no. 6; pp. 1039 - 1046
• Main Authors: Huybrechts, Inge, De Keyzer, Willem, Lin, Yi, Vandevijvere, Stefanie, Vereecken, Carine, Van Oyen, Herman, Tilleman, Katrien, Bellemans, Mia, De Maeyer, Mieke, De Backer, Guy, De Henauw, Stefaan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-06-2012
• Subjects: Belgium; Blood pressure; Child; Child, Preschool; Day care centers; Diaries; Diet; Diet Records; Epidemiology; Fast food; Food; Food groups; Fruits; Humans; Hypertension; Linear Models; Meat; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition Policy; Oils & fats; Potassium - administration & dosage; Potatoes; Response rates; Salt; Schools; Sodium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Software; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Belgium; United States > US; Dietary sources; Sodium; Potassium; Child
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980011002497

The aim of the present study was to investigate dietary sources of Na and K intakes among Flemish pre-school children using multiple linear regression analyses.
Three-day estimated diet records were used to assess dietary intakes. The contribution to Na and K intakes of fifty-seven food groups was computed by summing the amount provided by the food group for all individuals divided by the total intake for all individuals.
A random cluster sampling design at the level of schools, stratified by province and age, was used.
A representative sample of 696 Flemish pre-school children aged 2·5-6·5 years was recruited.
Mean Na intake was above and mean K intake was largely below the recommendation for children. Bread (22 %) and soup (13 %) were main contributors to Na intake followed by cold meat cuts and other meat products (12 % and 11 %, respectively). Sugared milk drinks, fried potatoes, milk and fruit juices were the main K sources (13 %, 12 %, 11 % and 11 %, respectively). Although Na and K intakes were positively correlated, several food categories showed Na:K intake ratio well above one (water, cheeses, soup, butter/margarine, fast foods and light beverages) whereas others presented a ratio well below one (oil & fat, fruits & juices, potatoes, vegetables and hot beverages).
Flemish pre-school children had too high Na and too low K intakes. The finding that main dietary sources of Na and K are clearly different indicates the feasibility of simultaneously decreasing Na and increasing K intake among children.