Dairy meals of hospitalized children as a source of energy, calcium and phosphorus in satisfying their daily needs

Abstract

A dairy meal is defined as a specific food serving composed from milk and dairy products. Because of its nutritional value and complex chemical composition, milk and dairy products play an important role in the diet of children and represent a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, as well as valuable proteins, B vitamins and minerals. Healthy children should consume at least three servings of dairy products daily, which contributes to the total energy and nutrients that children need. The needs of an unhealthy child are often higher than those who are healthy and depend on the state of the body. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of consumption of dairy meals in hospitalized children and to find out if their energy needs, as well as their need for calcium and phosphorus through the consumption of the same were met. Significant differences were found between recommended energy intake from dairy products and actual energy intake from consumed milk and dairy products in three Croatian regions (P=0.021) tested. The highest values were recorded in central Croatia (253 Kcal or 34.4 %) and the lowest in the northern Croatian coastal region (17.05 Kcal or 20.1 %), which indicates a greater representation of milk and dairy meals in children’s daily menu. Furthermore, hospitalized children meet almost half of their recommended daily intake of calcium and phosphorus from dairy meals for all three regions. The highest rate was found in central Croatia, 48.7 % or 400 mg of calcium, respectively 42.9 % or 322.69 mg phosphorus, while the remaining portion of calcium and phosphorus originates from different rich non-dairy food sources. In all regions the most common forms of dairy foods consumed were milk and dairy desserts.