Development and evaluation of food-based dietary recommendations for New Zealand toddlers using linear and goal programming.

Purpose: We designed and evaluated food-based dietary recommendations for 12-24-mo-old New Zealand children with linear and goal programming models taking into account intakes of all nutrients concurrently.

Methods: Dietary data used to define model parameters (food list, food quantities consumed, and food consumption patterns from 3-d weighed food records) were collected from 12-24-mo-old New Zealand toddlers (n = 188). Linear and goal programming models were developed to design and evaluate three sets of recommendations: (1) using all foods consumed by toddlers; (2) excluding commercial infant/toddler foods; and (3) excluding both commercial infant/toddler foods and all iron-fortified foods.

Results: Food-based dietary recommendations for toddlers were developed which aligned with observed food consumption patterns: Non-Sweet Cereals: 3 serves/d, Vegetables: 2 serves/d, Fruit: 2 serves/d, Dairy: 2 serves/d, and Meat/Fish/Poultry/Eggs/Legumes/Nuts: 2 serves/d. However, they only ensured adequate intakes of all nutrients modeled if ≈ 500 g/d of iron-fortified toddler milk was also recommended. Food-based dietary recommendations that excluded commercial infant/toddler foods or excluded both commercial infant/toddler foods and all iron-fortified foods would not ensure adequate intakes of iron and folate, for all children. The lowest intakes, in simulated intake distributions for these nutrients, were ≤ 29% and ≤ 38% of their nutrient reference values, respectively.

Conclusions: Food-based dietary recommendations which successfully promote the consumption of 3 serves/d of Non-Sweet Cereals, 2 serves/d of Vegetables, 2 serves/d of Fruit, 2 serves/d of Dairy (including ≈ 500 g/d of iron-fortified toddler milk), and 2 serves/d of Meat/Fish/Poultry/Eggs/Legumes/Nuts should ensure all New Zealand toddlers meet their requirements for the 15 nutrients modeled.