Greek immigrant children in southern Sweden in comparison with Greek and Swedish children. III. Energy and nutrient intake.

Greek immigrant children (GI) belonging to the second generation of immigrants in Sweden have been compared with Swedish children (S) and Greek children in Greece (G) regarding energy and nutrient intake. Twenty-four-hour recalls were obtained in the homes of the families. The mean energy intake was the same in all three groups and met the Swedish Nutrition Recommendations. The energy distribution for protein, carbohydrates and fat was also similar. The fat intake was far above the recommended level in all groups. The GI and the G group had a significantly higher mean daily intake of monounsaturated fatty acids than the S group (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.001, respectively). Children aged four to eight years in the GI group had a significantly higher nutrient density of retinol, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium and sucrose compared to the G group, but compared to the S group they had a lower nutrient density of retinol, vitamin D, ascorbic acid, niacin, vitamin B12 and selen. The GI children consumed more milk than the G children but as much as the S children and they had started to use enriched low-fat milk in Sweden. In conclusion, the food quality in the GI group was better than in the G group and much the same as in the S group, and, with few exceptions, it met the Swedish Nutrition Recommendations.