Food intake and growth of children between 30 and 48 months of age in Jerusalem.

The food intake and body size of a sample of children from a western neighborhood of Jerusalem were determined at 30, 36, and 48 months of age. The mean caloric intake was below the 100% of the Recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The percentage of children receiving less than 100% of the RDA increased slightly with age. Less than 20% of the children had intakes below 60% of the RDA. The mean protein intake was 200% of the RDA. Iron intake met the World Health Organization recommendations. The heme component of the iron intake decreased with age. The mean protein and caloric intake increased as the mother's educational level increased. The weight and height distribution of this population does not differ significantly from the US reference population. At 48 months of age, the children are heavy for their height. Some difficulties of dietary intake studies and the association between food intake and growth are discussed.