Less red meat and sugar – more vegetables and fruit.
Young children’s eating habits are better now compared to 20 years ago, shows a new survey from the Swedish Food Agency.
But there is room for improvement – above all when it comes to meat and charcuterie products.
The survey, which is based on studies of 1.5-year-olds and 4-year-olds from a total of 1,800 families spread across Sweden, shows that most children eat fruit and vegetables every day.
– It is very positive that the development is going in the right direction, says Lotta Moraeus, dietitian at the Swedish Food Agency.
At the same time, the study shows that half of the 4-year-olds eat too much sugar – although it is on a smaller scale than when the survey was last conducted in 2003.
It also appears that the younger children eat more healthily than the slightly older ones.
– It would be fantastic if the 4-year-olds continued to eat as well as they did when they were younger. Now, among other things, they add more sweets, snacks and sweet drinks, but do not increase fruit and vegetables, even though they eat more food, says Lotta Moraeus.
Eating too much meat and charcuterie
Although eating habits are generally described as going in the right direction, there is room for improvement. Above all, the Swedish Food Agency singles out meat and cured meat as the culprit in this context, as most children eat too much saturated fat and too much salt.
– Many children like sausages and it is quick and easily available food. But sometimes replacing the sausage with something else, such as fish sticks, chicken or falafel is a great step, says Lotta Moraeus.