Prevailing wisdom suggests that young children need to eat snacks to meet nutritional needs. While children consume close to a third of daily energy from snacks, there are very few empirical data on snacking among young children. Whether children need snacks to meet nutrient requirements or whether snacks put children at risk for excessive nutrition is unclear. The proposed research will use 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to comprehensively characterize the contributions of child snacking to dietary adequacy and excess among US toddlers and preschoolers. Snacking quantity, quality, and timing will be evaluated independently (Aim 1) and as part of naturally occurring child snacking patterns (Aim 2). Child characteristics, including weight status and waist circumference, as well as family predictors of snacking behaviors will be identified (Aim 3). NHANES is uniquely suited to yield findings with high public health significance because it is the largest on-going US survey of the nutritional status of US children. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) will be used to operationally define food and nutrient outcomes of significant
Whether snacks help preschoolers meet their nutritional requirements or are an entry point for nutrient poor calories in young children's diets is unclear. The proposed research will provide the first comprehensive analysis of snacking contributions to essential and excessive dietary intake among US toddlers and preschoolers. Understanding the nutritional benefits and risks of snacking among young children is critical to inform the development of sound dietary guidance as well as anticipatory guidance and food policies for settings in which young children routinely eat.
