MACRONUTRIENT, COPPER, AND ZINC INTAKES OF YOUNG GERMAN CHILDREN AS DETERMINED BY DUPLICATE FOOD SAMPLES AND DIET RECORDS

Daily energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, zinc, and copper intakes of 47 healthy 5- to 9-year-old children living in Duisburg, an industrial area of North Rhine-Westphalia, and consuming self-selected diets were calculated using a 4-day weighed dietary records and food composition values. In addition, the parents of the subjects also collected a 24-hour food composite on 2 of the recording days for analysis of the nutrients. This allowed us to compare the calculated value of the nutrients on days when only dietary records were made with those on which also duplicate samples were collected. Daily analyzed intakes were also compared with those calculated from the recording days. Zinc and copper were estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results show that there were reductions in the intake of all nutrients on days when duplicate samples were also collected as compared with the days when only dietary records were made. Median daily calculated intakes for all children on the 4 record days were: energy 1,578 kcal, protein 46.5 g, fat 67.3, carbohydrates 174.7 g, zinc 5.3 mg, and copper 1.0 mg. The median analyzed intakes were: energy 1,367.7 kcal, protein 37.1 g, fat 49.1, carbohydrates 178.7 g, zinc 5.3 mg, and copper 0.7 mg. The use of the duplicate diet method has shown that a 4-day recording period gives an overestimation of the nutrient intake. The calculated and the analyzed zinc intakes did not meet the recommended levels of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Ernahrung. The median copper intakes were in the lower range of the levels recommended by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Ernahrung.