(P29-021-23) Top Food Sources of Key Nutrients in the Diets of Infants: Data From the 2016 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS)

Objectives: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) recommend infants consume a variety of complementary foods to meet nutrient needs. Iron is of public health concern for underconsumption among infants 6-11 months old who are fed primarily human milk and consume inadequate iron from complementary foods. Being adequately nourished in iron, along with other specific nutrients (calcium, folic acid, vitamin C), also helps protect infants against the effects of environmental contaminants. This work identifies the top food sources of iron, calcium, folic acid and vitamin C.

Methods: The 2016 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) is a large national cross-sectional dietary survey of children under four years of age (n=3235). Food and beverage intake was assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls. The focus of this work is infants 6-11.9 months old (n=902). Reported foods are aligned with USDA’s What We Eat in America food grouping system. The population percentage contribution of foods to total nutrient intake was determined for each nutrient.

Results: Overall, infant formula and breast milk were the main contributors of nutrient intakes. The top three complementary food sources of iron are infant cereals (34% of iron intake), family cereals (4%), and infant vegetable purees (2%). The top three food sources of calcium are infant cereals (13%), cow’s milk and milk products (10%), and non-meat protein sources including cheese and yogurt (4%). The top three food sources of folic acid are infant cereals (18%), family cereals (16%), and pasta/rice (3%). The top three food sources of vitamin C are 100% juice (11%), infant fruit purees (10%), and infant cereals (7%).

Conclusions: Identifying the top sources of nutrients provides important information about which foods contribute the most to meeting the DGAs in infants, including fortified infant cereals for iron and folic acid, dairy foods for calcium, and juices and fruits for vitamin C. Foods providing these key nutrients should be considered when providing guidance on complementary feeding, which is also an important part of the narrative on exposure to naturally occurring elements, like certain heavy metals, that are intrinsic in our food supply.

Funding Sources: The FITS 2016 was funded by Nestle Research, Lausanne, Switzerland. The analysis described here was funded by the Gerber Products Co., Nestle Nutrition, Arlington, VA.