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  • Nutritional composition of the diets of South Ssian, black African Caribbean and white European children in the UK: the Child Heart and Health Study in England

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Friday 11 September, Parallel session C
Ethnicity and young people
Nutritional composition of the diets of South Ssian, black African Caribbean and white European children in the UK: the Child Heart and Health Study in England
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  1. A. S. Brock1,
  2. C. M. Nightingale1,
  3. C. G. Owen1,
  4. A. R. Rudnicka1,
  5. M. C. McNamara1,
  6. C. J. Prynne2,
  7. A. M. Stephen2,
  8. D. G. Cook1,
  9. P. H. Whincup1
  1. 1
    Division of Community Health Sciences, St George’s, University of London, London, UK
  2. 2
    Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge, UK

    https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2009.096727g

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      Background

      Compared with UK white Europeans, South Asian adults have increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD); black African-Caribbean adults have increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes and stroke with lower CHD risk. Dietary differences could be important in explaining these ethnic differences, which appear to emerge in early life. However, few systematic attempts have been made to define the extent of ethnic differences in diet, particularly in children.

      Objective

      To examine ethnic variations in nutritional composition of the diets of children of South Asian, black African-Caribbean and white European origin in the UK.

      Design

      24 hour recalls of dietary intake were carried out during a cross-sectional survey of children attending 85 Primary Schools in London, Birmingham and Leicester.

      Participants

      2210 children aged 9–10 years, including 567 of South Asian, 595 of black African-Caribbean and 601 of white European origins.

      Results

      Compared to white Europeans, South Asian children reported higher mean total energy intake (mean difference 96 kcal, 95% CI 35 157 kcal), fat % energy (mean difference 1.3%, 95% 0.5 to 2.1%) and protein % energy (mean difference 0.9%, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.3%). Their intakes of carbohydrate as a proportion of energy (particularly sugars), vitamin C and D, calcium and haem iron intakes were lower. These differences were especially marked for Bangladeshi children. Black African Caribbean children had lower intakes of total fat % energy (mean difference −1.3%, 95% CI −2.0 to −0.5) and saturated fat % energy (mean difference −1.2%, 95% CI −1.6 to −0.8). They also consumed less non-starch polysaccharide, vitamin D and calcium; whilst intakes of haem iron were higher. The lower intakes of fat (including saturated fat) were particularly marked among black African children.

      Conclusions

      Appreciable ethnic differences exist in the nutritional composition of children’s diets. These patterns could influence early emerging differences in disease risk and, if maintained, could contribute to continuing ethnic differences in disease risk in the next generation.