Early-life snack and drink consumption patterns among children: findings from a U.S. birth cohort study.

Background: Dietary habits during early childhood significantly influence long-term health outcomes, particularly oral health. This study examines snack and drink consumption patterns among underserved U.S. children and their association with early childhood caries (ECC).

Methods: A birth cohort of 127 children, aged 1-2 years, from two university-affiliated clinics in Upstate New York was enrolled. Participants were Medicaid-eligible, and dietary data were collected through structured questionnaires at 12, 18, and 24 months. Snacks and drinks were categorized based on cariogenic potential. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify consumption patterns of snacks and drinks. The associations between the consumption pattern and ECC were assessed using multinomial regression models.

Results: Three distinct snacks and drinks consumption patterns were identified: medium sweet + medium non-sweet, low sweet + high non-sweet, and high sweet + medium non-sweet. The study revealed dynamic changes in dietary patterns over time, with some children transitioning between healthier and less healthy clusters. Despite these distinct dietary behaviors, no significant association was found between any specific consumption pattern and the onset of ECC.

Conclusions: Despite identifying distinct snack and drink consumption patterns among young children from underserved communities, no significant association was observed between these patterns and the onset of ECC, highlighting the multifactorial nature of ECC.