OBJECTIVE: to analyze the food consumption of macro and micronutrients by children under fiver years old in the State of Pernambuco based on the Dietary Reference Intakes, in three geographic areas: Metropolitan Region of Recife, Urban Interior and Rural Interior. METHODS: the sample consisted of 948 children under five years old and was representative for the State of Pernambuco and its three geographic areas. The 24-hour recall method was used to register food consumption. The median and the prevalence of both macro and micronutrient inadequacy were analyzed according to the Dietary Reference Intakes. RESULTS: the deficit of energy and micronutrients prevailed in children of all age ranges and geographic areas; however, protein consumption exceeded the references levels. There was a high prevalence of micronutrient inadequacy, especially iron and zinc, in children above 12 months old. The results in the Rural Interior were the lowest, considering the nutrients analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: food consumption by children in the State of Pernambuco is low in energy, macro and micronutrients. It is expected that these results may contribute to the implementation of health and nutrition policies at State level, aiming to prevent the main nutritional disturbances in children under five years old.
Nutrients; Food consumption; Nutritional requirements; Child
