Greater Pulse Consumption in Children is Associated With a Higher Diet Quality and Improved Shortfall Nutrient Intakes

Background

Data examining pulse consumption patterns in children and associations to diet quality and nutrient intakes remains limited.

Objective

To identify commonly consumed pulse dietary patterns in American children and assess shortfall nutrient intakes and diet quality relative to children whose typical dietary pattern avoids pulses.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

A secondary analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2018 was completed in children (N=9,578; 2-18 years-old). Cluster analysis identified pulse patterns of consumption, while the USDA food coding system defined daily pulses consumed. Five pulse dietary patterns of consumption were identified, of which four patterns included both canned beans and dried beans, while one pattern had no pulse consumption. Pulse consumption was defined as those consuming kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and/or pinto beans.

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Least square means for nutrient intakes and diet quality outcomes (as measured by USDA's Healthy Eating Index-2015) were examined. Completed and reliable 24-hour recall data were considered in the analyses.

Results

Greater consumption of pulses, concurrent to lower consumption of foods from USDA's mixed dishes and sweet snacks categories, was associated with significant greater shortfall nutrient intakes relative to the no pulse dietary pattern. A dietary pattern comprised of 13% of total daily energy from pulses (∼2 servings of beans daily) was associated with significantly higher total diet quality scores compared to the no pulse dietary pattern (58.0±0.8 vs. 46.5±0.2, p<0.0001). When considering shortfall nutrient intakes, children consuming approximately 2 servings of beans daily had significantly higher dietary fiber (20.0±0.8 g vs. 12.9±0.1 g, p<0.0001), potassium ((2643±84 mg vs. 2155±13 mg, p<0.0001) and choline intake (345±11 mg vs. 248±2.2 mg, p<0.0001) relative to non-consumers of beans.

Conclusions

Dietary patterns that include pulses were associated with greater diet quality scores and higher intakes of shortfall nutrients in American children.

Funding

Cannedbeans.org on behalf of Bush's Brothers & Company and the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses