Food consumption patterns and nutrient intakes of infants and young children amidst the nutrition transition: the case of Lebanon

Background This is the first study on dietary intakes of infants and young children in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, a region that is currently witnessing the nutrition transition. It aims at characterizing food consumption patterns amongst 0–4 year old children in Lebanon, evaluating their macro- and micronutrient intakes and assessing adherence to dietary recommendations. Methods Based on a national cross-sectional survey in 2012 ( n = 866), the study collected data on sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, and one 24-hour dietary recall was administered. Nutrient intakes were compared with reference values: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Adequate Intake (AI) and Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). Results Milk was the highest contributor to energy intake (EI) in infants (95.8 and 56.5% in 0–5.9 months and 6–11.9 months old infants, respectively), while its intake was lower among toddlers and preschoolers (35.4 and 15.1%, respectively). In contrast, intakes of sweets and sweetened beverages were the highest in preschoolers compared to younger children, contributing 18.5% EI in preschoolers. Compared to dietary guidelines, the lowest dietary adherence was found for vegetables (17.8–20.7%) and fruits (14.4–34.3%). Protein intake was within the recommendations for the vast majority of children. Although total fat intake was lower in toddlers and preschoolers compared to infants, more than 40% of toddlers and preschoolers exceeded the AMDR for fat and 87.3% of preschoolers exceeded the upper limit for saturated fat. Only 3.6% of toddlers and 11.5% of preschoolers exceeded the AI level for dietary fiber. Micronutrient intake assessment showed that mean intakes in infants exceeded the AI for all micronutrients, except for vitamin D and magnesium. In toddlers, vitamin D and calcium were below the EAR among 84.7, and 44.6%, respectively. In preschoolers, most of the children (91.9%) had inadequate intakes of vitamin D, and a third had inadequate intakes of folate, calcium and vitamin A. Conclusions This study identified priority issues for nutrition intervention in infants and young children in Lebanon. Concerted multi-stakeholder efforts are needed to instill heathier food consumption and nutrient intake patterns early in life.