(P14-035-23) Eating Occasion Frequency for Infants and Young Children Differs From That of Older Children and Adults: Data From the 2016 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS)

Objectives: For adults and children over four years of age, the FDA considers four eating occasions per day (three meals, one snack) to be the typical dietary pattern. This informs criteria for select nutrition related claims such as “healthy” where daily recommended amounts of food groups divided by eating occasions per day determines a significant amount. Different dietary patterns, eating occasions, and recommendations for infants and young children would impact criteria for younger age groups. The objective was to evaluate the number of eating occasions per day specifically for infants and young children ( < 4y).

Methods: The 2016 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) is a large national cross-sectional dietary survey of children < 4y of age (n=3235). Food and beverage intake was assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls for infants and children ages 6-11.9, 12-23.9 and 24-47.9 months old. Percent consuming by eating occasion (i.e., infant feedings (breastmilk and/or formula), meals, and snacks) as well number of eating occasions per day (mean ± standard error) were calculated.

Results: Approximately half of the daily energy for infants 6-11.9 months is from infant feeding occasions (breastmilk and/or formula), 3.57 ± 0.11 times per day. In addition, infants were fed 4.37 ± 0.10 times (comprised of two meals and two snack occasions). By 12 months, virtually all young children had an established pattern of three meals plus snack occasions. Young children 12-23.9 months old had 6.65 ± 0.07 eating occasions/day (three meals, three snack occasions) comparable to children 24-47.9 months (6.15 ± 0.08 eating occasions/day: three meals, three snack occasions).

Conclusions: FITS shows that infants and young children have more frequent daily meal and snack occasions than older children and adults. These findings are consistent with NHANES (Barrera et al., 2019), showing 5.3 eating occasions/day in 1–4-year-olds. Age-specific dietary patterns for infants and young children should be considered when developing age-appropriate requirements for nutrition related claims, such as “healthy.”

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.