Dietary fat intakes in infants and primary school children in Germany

Abstract

We report dietary fat intake data in groups of infants and children in Germany. A group of 148 healthy infants was followed prospectively from birth through the first year of life. After birth, 78.9% of infants were breast-fed; 50% were breast-fed at 3 mo and 9.8% were breast-fed at 12 mo. Infant formula was given to 22% of infants after birth, 53% at 3 mo, and 58% at 12 mo. Complementary foods were consumed by 16% of infants at 3 mo, 97% at 6 mo, and 98-100% at 7-12 mo. In non-breast-fed infants, mean dietary fat intakes were 44.8%, 42.9%, 37.4%, and 35.7% of energy intake at the ages of 1, 4, 6, and 12 mo, respectively. Calculated energy and nutrient intakes were within recommended ranges and weight gain was normal. Therefore, we see no compelling reason to actively modify total fat intakes at this age. In 158 primary school children aged 6-11 y, 7-d checklist protocols showed 41% of energy intake as fat with ≃50% as saturated fat. Because German children of this age are experiencing increasing rates of obesity and high serum cholesterol concentrations, a stepwise reduction of total fat and saturated fat intakes in primary school children appears desirable to improve long-term health.