THE NUTRIENT INTAKE, GROWTH, AND EATING PATTERN OF PRESCHOOL-CHILDRENWITH SINGLE, EMPLOYED MOTHERS

Little is known about the effects of maternal employment on the nutrit ion of preschool children. This paper examines the nutrient intake, gr owth, and eating pattern of 160 two- to four-year-old children with si ngle, employed mothers. A three-day record of the child's food intake was kept by the mother and non-parent caregivers. The mean intake of e nergy and nutrients met the recommended intake and probability predict ions of the proportion of children with intakes below their requiremen ts were low (< 10% for all nutrients but vitamin A). Nevertheless, 63% took, supplements, Fat contributed 33% of energy intake. The children 's growth, in general, was acceptable on NCHS growth charts. Food at h ome was the major source of energy and nutrients consumed at breakfast (75-80%) and at the evening meal (69-80%) and evening snack (82-89%). Food eaten with non-parent caregivers was the major source at lunch ( 62-74%) and at daytime snacks (52-68%) and a secondary source at break fast (18-21%). The results highlight the important role that non-paren t caregivers have in meeting the nutrient needs of preschoolers with s ingle, employed mothers. Further research is necessary to document the effects of maternal employment in subgroups of single mothers and in other family types with different work patterns.