Resumo

GONZALEZ-CASTELL, Dinorah; GONZALEZ-COSSIO, Teresa; BARQUERA, Simón  e  RIVERA, Juan A.. Contribution of processed foods to the energy, macronutrient and fiber intakes of Mexican children aged 1 to 4 years. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2007, vol.49, n.5, pp.345-356. ISSN 0036-3634.

OBJECTIVE: To classify the foods consumed by Mexican children 1-4 years in three food categories according to the preparation process and temporality: a) Processed Modern Foods (PMF), b) Processed Traditional Foods (PTF) and c) Non-Processed Foods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected from the National Nutrition Survey 1999 in children 1-4 years (n =1070). The contribution of each food category to the total energy, macronutrient and fiber intakes was analyzed. RESULTS: The contribution of PMF and PTF was as follows, respectively: Energy: 17%, 31%; total protein: 14%, 25%; non-animal protein: 10%, 10%; animal protein: 17%, 34%; carbohydrates: 18%, 26%; fiber: 4%, 5%; total fat 15%, 41%; saturated fat 16%, 52%; and cholesterol 7%, 7%. CONCLUSIONS: The contribution of PF to the diets of Mexican children accounts for >39% of energy, total protein, animal protein, carbohydrates and fat. The authors recommend the participation of food industry to prevent malnutrition in children.

Palavras-chave : processed foods; diet; preschool; Mexico.