Selected nutrient intakes of free-living white children ages 6-19 years. The Lipid Research Clinics Program Prevalence Study

Abstract

We report energy intake and selected nutrient intakes-protein, fat (total, saturated, and polyunsaturated), carbohydrate (total, starch, and sucrose), and cholesterol-for 1251 white children ages 6-19 years. The data were obtained, by means of a 24-h dietary recall, from children who were randomly selected from the North American populations studied by the Lipid Research Clinics Program. Females (N = 584) consumed about 2000 kcal daily, an intake that remained relatively constant throughout the age groups studied. Males (N = 667) had an energy intake of 2000 kcal/day during childhood that increased to over 3000 kcal/day in adolescence. Energy sources for both sexes were approximately 15% protein, 38% total fat, 15% saturated fat, 6% polyunsaturated fat, 48% total carbohydrate, 19% starch, and 11% sucrose; cholesterol intake averaged about 145 mg/1000 kcal. For both sexes, fat intake increased with age. Compared to females, males ingested greater amounts of cholesterol and total and saturated fat.