Low adherence of Swiss children to national dietary guidelines

• Adherence to dietary guidelines of Swiss children aged 6–12 is low.
• One out of ten children adheres with fruit intake, none with vegetable intake.
• (Non)adherence rates are evenly distributed between socio-economic strata.
• 6 to 9 year old children are more likely to meet dairy and cereals guidelines.
• Overall adherence to guidelines is not significantly associated with a child's BMI.

IntroductionDietary guidelines aim to inform people of the types of foods and quantities they should consume each day or week to promote and maintain health. The aim of this study was to describe children's dietary behaviors in terms of adherence to the Swiss Society for Nutrition (SSN) dietary guidelines and possible determinants.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2010 with 568 children aged 6–12 years old living in Ticino Switzerland. Food intake was collected using 7-day food logs. Adherence with the dietary guidelines from the SSN was assessed according to age group.ResultsWith the exception of fish and cereal/potato intake (adherence rates of 68.5% and 47.9%, respectively), adherence to SSN guidelines was low: 26.9% for meat; 22.7% for eggs; 10.4% for fruit; 9.5% for sweets, snacks & soft drinks; 3.5% for milk & dairy, and 0% for vegetables. Multivariate analysis showed no consistent association between the child or their parent's socio-demographic characteristics and adherence to SSN guidelines. Girls had a higher likelihood of adhering with fruit and meat guidelines: multivariate adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.98 (1.10–3.56) and 1.80 (1.08–2.99), respectively. Children aged 10 to 12 had a lower likelihood of adhering with cereals and potatoes 0.48 (0.29–0.78), and a higher likelihood of adhering with the guideline for eggs 1.78 (1.00–3.15).ConclusionDietary intake of Ticinese children shows poor adherence with SSN guidelines. Given the lack of specific socio-demographic factors associated with adherence, population-wide interventions to improve dietary intake are necessary.