Dietary fat intakes, food sources, and tracking across early childhood: results from the Melbourne InFANT Program.

Purpose: Despite the important role of dietary fat in early childhood, our understanding of fat intake trends during this period is limited, particularly among Australian children. This study aimed to describe total and saturated fat (SFA) intake trends, food sources, and tracking in young Australian children.

Methods: Data of children at ages 9 months (n = 393), 18 months (n = 284), 3.5 years (n = 244), and 5 years (n = 240) from the Melbourne InFANT Program were used. Dietary intakes were collected via three 24-hour recalls. Food groups and nutrient intakes were calculated using the 2007 AUSNUT Food Composition Database. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize fat intake and key food sources of fat. Tracking of fat intake was examined using Pearson correlations of residualized fat scores between time points.

Results: Total and SFA intake (g/d) increased over time in early childhood. The percentage of energy from total fat decreased from 9 to 18 months but remained stable until 5 years of age. The percentage of energy from SFA decreased across early childhood. Milk and milk products were the primary sources of both total fat and SFA, followed by breads/cereals, and cakes/cookies. Slight to moderate tracking of fat was observed in most age groups.

Conclusion: This study described trends and food sources of young children's fat intakes and showed that early fat intakes track up to age 5 years. The study will contribute to the development and refinement of fat recommendations in young Australian children and inform the design of interventions to improve fat intake.