Table 3 The Australian Recommended Food Scores for Pre-schoolers (ARFS-P) and Australian Eating Survey Pre-schooler Version (AES-P) Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) nutrients, and % energy from nutrient-dense and discretionary choices, by age (*includes one for adequate water intake)
From: Validity of the Australian Recommended Food Score as a diet quality index for Pre-schoolers
All (n = 142) | Younger < 4 yrs (n = 76) | Older ≥ 4 yrs (n = 66) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARFS-P (total possible score) | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | Median | IQR | P |
Total (73)* | 36 | (29–42) | 35 | (29–42) | 36 | (29.5–41.5) | 0.97 |
Vegetables (21) | 11 | (8–15) | 11 | (8–16) | 11.5 | (9–14) | 0.91 |
Fruit (12) | 8 | (6–10) | 8 | (6–10) | 8 | (5.5–9.5) | 0.67 |
Meat (7) | 2 | (2–3) | 2 | (2–3) | 2 | (2–3) | 0.84 |
Meat alternatives (6) | 2 | (1–2) | 1 | (1–2) | 2 | (1–3) | 0.78 |
Grains (13) | 6 | (4–7) | 6 | (4–7) | 6 | (4–7) | 0.62 |
Dairy (11) | 5 | (4–6) | 5 | (4–6) | 5 | (4–6) | 0.84 |
Condiments (2) | 1 | (1–2) | 1 | (1–2) | 2 | (1–2) | 0.31 |
AES-P FFQ macronutrients | |||||||
Energy (kJ) | 5216 | (4647–6242) | 5226 | (4656–6379) | 5182 | (4577–5944) | 0.43 |
Protein (g) | 53.79 | (47–63) | 54.6 | (48.0–63.9) | 52.58 | (44.7–60.1) | 0.14 |
Saturated fat (g) | 23.25 | (17–28) | 24.44 | (19.6–28.7) | 21.18 | (16.5–26.9) | 0.06 |
Cholesterol (mg) | 161.7 | (126–206) | 167.3 | (137–209) | 155.9 | (121–200) | 0.09 |
Carbohydrate (g) | 150.0 | (130–177) | 148.7 | (129–181) | 152.0 | (133–175) | 0.93 |
Sugars (g) | 88.09 | (72.9–109) | 87.79 | (73.7–110) | 88.2 | (69.9–106) | 0.73 |
Fibre (g) | 15.33 | (12.4–18.0) | 15.27 | (11.7–18.6) | 15.37 | (12.9–17.8) | 0.91 |
AES-P FFQ micronutrients | |||||||
Vitamin A (μg) | 745.0 | (604–891) | 768.5 | (620–914) | 715.8 | (594–878) | 0.25 |
Retinol (μg) | 339.5 | (225–439) | 359.2 | (238–482) | 314.1 | (210–415) | 0.08 |
β-carotine (μg) | 2497 | (1773–3049) | 2580 | (1676–3145) | 2353 | (184–2818) | 0.65 |
Thiamine (mg) | 1.28 | (1.0–1.6) | 1.28 | (1.0–1.7) | 1.28 | (1.0–1.5) | 0.96 |
Riboflavin (mg) | 2.12 | (1.7–2.6) | 2.29 | (1.7–2.6) | 2.11 | (1.6–2.5) | 0.38 |
Niacine equivalent (mg) | 23.75 | (20.9–27.4) | 24.01 | (20.9–28.5) | 23.71 | (20.8–27.1) | 0.60 |
Folate (μg) | 211.2 | (182–255) | 211.2 | (176–261) | 210.2 | (184–241) | 0.95 |
Vitamin C (mg) | 78.12 | (59.9–100) | 78.12 | (63.2–102) | 78.69 | (59.6–98.3) | 0.73 |
Calcium (mg) | 963.2 | (746–1167) | 988.9 | (828–1179) | 889.9 | (711–1093) | 0.10 |
Iron (mg) | 7.72 | (6.1–8.9) | 7.51 | (6.1–8.9) | 7.91 | (6.2–8.7) | 0.62 |
Magnesium (mg) | 227.5 | (202–277) | 227.5 | (202–278) | 227.5 | (202–275) | 0.69 |
Potassium (mg) | 2208 | (1897–2618) | 2311 | (1931–2700) | 2132 | (1869–2494) | 0.14 |
Phosphorus (mg) | 1109 | (900–1292) | 1121 | (956–1304) | 1073 | (869–1220) | 0.15 |
Sodium (mg) | 1279 | (1052–1594) | 1279 | (1029–1603) | 1287 | (1097–1559) | 0.69 |
Zinc (mg) | 7.36 | (6.3–8.5) | 7.67 | (6.4–8.7) | 7.14 | (6.2–8.1) | 0.16 |
% Energy from | |||||||
Saturated Fat | 17 | (14.0–19.0) | 17 | (14.0–19.0) | 16 | (13.5–18.0) | 0.12 |
Nutrient dense | 71 | (63–79) | 72 | (64–81) | 70.5 | (62.5–79) | 0.29 |
Vegetables | 5 | (3–7) | 5 | (3–7) | 5 | (4–7) | 0.78 |
Fruit | 10 | (7–15) | 12 | (8–16) | 10 | (7–13.5) | 0.30 |
Meat | 7 | (5–9) | 7 | (5–9) | 7 | (5–9.5) | 0.77 |
Meat alternatives | 1 | (1–3) | 1 | (1–3) | 1 | (1–3) | 0.74 |
Grains | 18 | (14–21) | 16 | (13–20) | 19 | (15–22) | 0.03 |
Dairy | 28 | (22–35) | 29 | (22–36) | 26.5 | (21.5–32.5) | 0.10 |
Discretionary choices | 29 | (21–37) | 28 | (19–36) | 29.5 | (21–37.5) | 0.29 |
Sweetened drinks | 2 | (1–4) | 2 | (0–4) | 2.5 | (1–5) | 0.19 |
Packaged snacks | 4 | (1–7) | 3 | (1–6) | 4 | (2–7) | 0.09 |
Confectionary | 3 | (2–5) | 4 | (2–5) | 3 | (2–5) | 0.81 |
Baked sweet products | 5 | (3–8) | 5 | (3–7) | 4.5 | (3–8) | 0.92 |
Take-away | 5 | (3–6) | 5 | (3–7) | 4 | (3–6) | 0.59 |
Condiments | 2 | (1–4) | 2 | (1–3) | 3 | (1–4) | 0.14 |
Processed Meats | 1 | (1–2) | 1 | (1–2) | 1 | (1–2.5) | 0.51 |
Sweet breakfast cereal | 8 | (5–11) | 7 | (5–10) | 9 | (7–11.5) | 0.01 |