Energy and Macronutrient Intakes and Food Sources in
Preschool Children: Thai NHES IV
Warapone Satheannoppakao PhD*1, Rachada Kasemsup MD*2, Jiraluck Nontarak MSc*3,
Pattapong Kessomboon PhD, MD*4, Panwadee Putwatana PhD*5, Surasak Taneepanichskul MD*6,
Rassamee Sangthong PhD, MD*7, Suwat Chariyalertsak DrPH, MD*8, Wichai Aekplakorn PhD, MD*9
Affiliation :
*1 Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
*2 Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
*3 National Health Examination Survey Office, Nonthaburi, Thailand
*4 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
*5 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
*6 College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
*7 Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
*8 Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
*9 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : Examine intakes of energy and macronutrients, and identify their food sources, in Thai preschool children.
Material and Method: Data from the Thai National Health Examination Survey (NHES) IV were used. Mothers/caregivers
were interviewed regarding their children’s 24-hour-dietary intake. Dietary data were analyzed for energy and macronutrients,
and their food sources were investigated. Due to skewed data, Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare energy and
macronutrient intake between sexes and age groups.
Results : Among 256 preschool children, more than 90% had protein intakes higher than the recommended level. Only
12.7 to 29.0% met the recommended intake for energy. Amounts of carbohydrate and fat consumed varied from below to
above the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendation. Intakes of carbohydrate in boys and fat in girls were statistically
different between age groups (p<0.05). Fifty to 60% of energy came from dairy products, grains and starchy products. The
major carbohydrate contributors were grains and starchy products. Dairy products were the main source of protein. Important
food sources of fat were dairy products for one- to three-year-old children and fat and oils for four- to five-year-old children.
Conclusion : Thai preschool children have inappropriate intakes of energy and macronutrients. Dairy products and grains
and/or starchy products were the main sources of energy, carbohydrate, and protein. Dietary fat sources varied by age
group.
Keywords : Macronutrient, Thai preschool children, National health survey
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