Changing eating patterns of American children: a view from 1996.

A major diet-related problem in the US has changed from growth retardation to childhood obesity. This paper compares the consumption patterns of children using data from nationally representative surveys conducted by the US Department of Agriculture from 1986 to 1994. Children's consumption patterns were analyzed by age groups, income groups and food security levels. From 1986 to 1994, no distinct trends of the energy intakes of children 5 years of age and under were observed. In 1994, a greater percentage of children were meeting the dietary guidelines for fat and saturated fat than in 1989-91. However, most of the children's diet in each sex/age category still exceeds the dietary guideline's recommendations.