Factors associated with diet quality of children from Biscay

Abstract

In Spain, children’s diet quality needs improvement, their fruit and vegetable consumption is lower than recommended servings per day, and their saturated fat intake is higher than recommended daily amount. Analyzing factors associated with diet quality is important to design interventions aimed at improving diet quality. Children completed a questionnaire on diet quality, confidence and peer support in fruit, vegetable and low-fat food consumption. Parents completed a questionnaire on family support and eating rules. A high-quality diet was associated with higher confidence in fruit and vegetable consumption in primary (girls p<0.001, boys p=0.01) and secondary school children (girls p<0.01, boys p<0.001), more eating rules in younger children (girls p<0.001, boys p<0.01), higher peer support in fruit, vegetable (girls p<0.05, boys p<0.05) and low-fat food consumption (girls p<0.001, boys p<0.05) in older children. Future interventions aimed at improving children’s diet quality should involve family and friends, and increase confidence in fruit and vegetable consumption.