DIETARY FIBER INTAKE OF CHILDREN - THE BOGALUSA HEART-STUDY

Age and secular trends in dietary fiber intake of children were examin ed using the 24-hour dietary recall method. Dietary fiber intake oi: f ive cohorts of 10-year-olds (n = 1254); two cohorts of 13-year-olds (n = 360); and children ages 10 (n = 767), 13 (n = 249), 15 (n = 108), a nd 17 (n = 89) years was examined from 1976 to 1988. Total dietary fib er intake remained unchanged from 1976 to 1988, even after adjusting f or energy intake; averaging 12 or 5 g/1000 calories (kcal). Black chil dren had higher fiber intakes per 1000 kcal than white children from a ges 10 to 17 years, Consumption of vegetables and/or soups and breads and/or cereals accounted for 53% (10 years) to 70% (13 years) of the t otal fiber consumed. When children were stratified into quartiles base d on fiber intake per 1000 kcal, the percent of energy from total fat and saturated fat was lower, and the percent of energy from carbohydra tes was higher in children with higher fiber intakes per 1000 kcal. Ad ditional studies are needed to document dietary fiber intakes of child ren and their impact on overall diet composition and cardiovascular ri sk factors.