Total Dietary Quality Score Improved for U.S. Children During 2005 to 2020
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, July 15, 2024 -- Total dietary scores improved for U.S. children during 2005 to 2020, with increases for all diet adequacy components, apart from dairy, according to a research letter published online July 8 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Guodong Ding, Ph.D., M.D., from Xinhua Hospital at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study to examine trends in diet quality between 2005 to 2006 and 2017 to 2020 among U.S. children aged 12 to 23 months who were no longer receiving human milk or infant formula. Data were included from 1,404 children (mean age, 17.6 months).
The researchers found that overall, total scores of dietary quality improved from a mean of 53.0 to 56.5 from 2005-2006 to 2017-2020 (increase of 3.5). Among non-Hispanic Black children, this trend was consistent and stronger (increase of 7.8 points). Among most diet adequacy components, including total vegetables, whole grains, total protein foods, seafood and plant proteins, and fatty acids, individual scores increased, with significant findings for all trends. However, there was a decrease in the mean score of dairy (0.58-point decrease). Similar findings were seen in sensitivity analyses performed after adjustment for race and ethnicity and sex.
"Although total dietary quality scores among U.S. children improved overall during 2005 to 2020, the increase remained suboptimal: lower than 5 points, a significant threshold for children," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
No Increase Seen in Neurodevelopmental Disorders With Prenatal Triptan Use
WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- Children prenatally exposed to different triptan intensities and duration, alone or in combination with other preventive medications for migraine, do...
Metabolic Dysfunction-Linked Steatotic Liver Disease Tied to Increased Preterm Birth Risk
TUESDAY, May 20, 2025 -- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in pregnant women is a risk factor for preterm birth, according to a study published...
Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy Can Improve Outcomes
FRIDAY, May 2, 2025 -- For mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD), treatment with buprenorphine in pregnancy is associated with improved maternal and infant outcomes, according to...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.