Concordance with the New American Plate guidelines of the American Institute for Cancer Research in Guatemalan children

ObjectiveTo determine concordance with the New American Plate guideline that no more than one-third of one's plate be covered with foods of animal origin in Guatemalan schoolchildren.MethodsDietary intake data collected with a 24-h pictorial diary in a convenience sample of 449 third- and fourth-grade schoolchildren were inspected. The weights of animal and vegetable items in each meal were calculated with respect to the food on the main plate and all elements of the meal. The percentage of animal contribution to the meal was tabulated by repast and by social group and gender and compared with the suggested limit of <33%.ResultsTwenty-nine percent of the food depicted on main plates was of animal origin at lunch and 35% at dinner, considering all subjects using plates; 24% of all food consumed at the lunch meal was of animal origin, as was 28% at dinner. Sixty-eight percent of children were concordant with the <33% limit on animal-origin foods served on main plates at lunch, as were 60% with the dinner main plates. Expanding to the whole meal, concordance with the <33% criterion increased to 73% at lunch and 67% at dinner.ConclusionsIn general, the habitual modes of consumption of these schoolchildren are compatible with a predominantly plant-based diet. The food consumed away from the main plate is principally of vegetal origin and needs to be accounted for in guidance for overall healthful eating.