Early childhood is a critical time when dietary intake patterns are forming, which may impact on health in later life. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the mean daily vitamin intake of Irish pre-school children and was based on the National Pre-school Nutrition Survey (2010–2011), which was carried out to establish a database of habitual food and drink consumption in a representative sample of Irish pre-school children aged 1–4 years. A 4 day weighed food record was used to collect food intake data of 500 pre-school children. Analysis of dietary intake data was carried out using WISP© (Tinuviel Software, Anglesey, UK), which contains McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods ( 1 )and the Irish Foods Composition Database( Reference Black, Ireland, Møller, Roe, Walton and Flynn 2 ).
The mean intake of selected vitamins and the percentage with intakes below the estimated average requirement (EAR)( 3 ), excluding under-reporters, are shown in Table 1. BMR was calculated using standard equations( Reference Schofield 4 ) and cut-off points, calculated as multiples of BMR( Reference Torun, Davies, Livingstone, Paolisso, Sackett and Spurr 5 ), were used to identify under-reporters (URs).
The main food contributors to vitamin intakes and their % contribution are shown below.
Intakes of most vitamins in the Irish pre-school population are adequate, with the exception of vitamins A and D. Over 78% of 1–4 year olds had vitamin D intakes less than 5 μg/d and 20% had intakes less than 1 μg/d. “Milk & Yogurt”, “Breakfast cereals”, “Vegetables & vegetable dishes”, “Fruit & fruit juices”, “Meat and Meat Products” and “Beverages” were found to be the largest food contributors to selected vitamins in Irish pre-school children.
The project was funded by the Irish Government under the Food for Health Research Initiative 2007–2012.
