PEDIATRICS Vol. 99 No. 5 May 1997, pp. 687-694 (doi:10.1542/peds.99.5.687)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Niinikoski, H.
Right arrow Articles by Simell, O.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Niinikoski, H.
Right arrow Articles by Simell, O.
Related Collections
Right arrow Nutrition & Metabolism

PEDIATRICS Vol. 99 No. 5 May 1997, pp. 687-694

Growth Until 3 Years of Age in a Prospective, Randomized Trial of a Diet With Reduced Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

Received May 24, 1996; accepted Aug 27, 1996.

Harri Niinikoski*, Dagger , Helena LapinleimuDagger , Jorma Viikari§, Tapani Rönnemaa§, Eero JokinenDagger , Ritva Seppänenparallel , Pirjo Terho, Juhani Tuominen#, Ilkka Välimäki*, Dagger , and Olli SimellDagger

From the * Cardiorespiratory Research Unit and Departments of Dagger  Pediatrics, § Medicine, and # Biostatistics, University of Turku, parallel  Research and Development Unit, Social Insurance Institution, and  Department of Child and Adolescent Health Care, Turku, Finland.

Objective.  Modification of fat intake in childhood may decrease children's future risk for atherosclerosis. Excessive changes in fat intake have been linked with possible growth failure. This study evaluates the effects of a low-saturated fat diet on growth during the first 3 years of life.

Design.  Half of 1062 healthy infants were randomized at 7 months of age to the intervention group (n = 540) to receive at 1- to 6-month intervals individualized dietary counseling aimed at reducing their exposure to atherosclerosis risk factors. Five hundred twenty-two children served as control children. Growth and serum lipids were measured regularly, and nutrient intakes were analyzed using 3- to 4-day food records at 5- to 12-month intervals.

Results.  The intervention children consistently consumed slightly less energy than did the control children. The mean fat intake of children in both groups was lower than expected, especially during the first 2 years of life (29.0 [SD, 4.7] percentage of energy intake [E%] and 28.8 [4.1] E% in the intervention and control children, respectively, at 8 months, formula-fed children only). At 13, 24, and 36 months, fat intake in the intervention and control children accounted for 26.2 (6.0) and 27.9 (4.9) E%, 29.9 (5.0) and 32.8 (4.8) E%, and 30.8 (4.9) and 33.2 (4.6) E%, respectively. From 13 to 36 months, the baseline adjusted mean serum cholesterol concentration was lower in the intervention children than the control children (95% confidence interval for the difference between means, -0.27 to -0.12 mmol/L). The true mean of the height of the boys in the intervention group during the trial was at most 0.34 cm more or 0.57 cm less (95% confidence interval), and the weight was at most 0.19 kg more or 0.22 kg less than that of the control boys. The respective values for girls were at most 0.77 cm more or 0.16 cm less and at most 0.42 kg more or 0.04 kg less. The numbers of slim children were similar in both groups.

Conclusions.  Fat intake by young children is markedly lower than assumed. A supervised low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol diet has no influence on growth during the first 3 years of life.

Key words: diet, growth, childhood, atherosclerosis prevention, intervention.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
S. Ruottinen, H. Niinikoski, H. Lagstrom, T. Ronnemaa, M. Hakanen, J. Viikari, E. Jokinen, and O. Simell
High Sucrose Intake Is Associated With Poor Quality of Diet and Growth Between 13 Months and 9 Years of Age: The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project
Pediatrics, June 1, 2008; 121(6): e1676 - e1685.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Int J EpidemiolHome page
O. Simell, H. Niinikoski, T. Ronnemaa, O. T Raitakari, H. Lagstrom, M. Laurinen, M. Aromaa, P. Hakala, A. Jula, E. Jokinen, et al.
Cohort Profile: The STRIP Study (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project), an Infancy-onset Dietary and Life-style Intervention Trial
Int. J. Epidemiol., April 22, 2008; (2008) dyn072v1.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Pediatr Adolesc MedHome page
S. Saarilehto, H. Lapinleimu, S. Keskinen, H. Helenius, and O. Simell
Body Satisfaction in 8-Year-Old Children After Long-term Dietary Counseling in a Prospective Randomized Atherosclerosis Prevention Trial
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, August 1, 2003; 157(8): 753 - 758.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
References
Circulation, December 17, 2002; 106(25): 3373 - 3421.
[Full Text]

Home page
 Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
B. Koletzko, K. Dokoupil, S. Reitmayr, B. Weimert-Harendza, and E. Keller
Dietary fat intakes in infants and primary school children in Germany
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2000; 72 (5): 1392S - 1398S.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
B. Koletzko
Lipids in Complementary Foods
Pediatrics, November 1, 2000; 106(5): 1294 - 1294.
[Full Text]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
L. Rask-Nissila, E. Jokinen, T. Ronnemaa, J. Viikari, A. Tammi, H. Niinikoski, R. Seppanen, J. Tuominen, and O. Simell
Prospective, Randomized, Infancy-Onset Trial of the Effects of a Low-Saturated-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Diet on Serum Lipids and Lipoproteins Before School Age : The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP)
Circulation, September 26, 2000; 102(13): 1477 - 1483.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JAMAHome page
L. Rask-Nissila, E. Jokinen, P. Terho, A. Tammi, H. Lapinleimu, T. Ronnemaa, J. Viikari, R. Seppanen, T. Korhonen, J. Tuominen, et al.
Neurological Development of 5-Year-Old Children Receiving a Low-Saturated Fat, Low-Cholesterol Diet Since Infancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
JAMA, August 23, 2000; 284(8): 993 - 1000.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Clin. Nutr.Home page
H. Lagstrom, R. Seppanen, E. Jokinen, H. Niinikoski, T. Ronnemaa, J. Viikari, and O. Simell
Influence of dietary fat on the nutrient intake and growth of children from 1 to 5 y of age: the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project
Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 1999; 69(3): 516 - 523.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
A. H. Lichtenstein and L. Van Horn
Very Low Fat Diets
Circulation, September 1, 1998; 98(9): 935 - 939.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JAMAHome page
H. Lagstrom, H. Niinikoski, H. Lapinleimu, J. Viikari, T. Ronnemaa, O. Simell, N. Ressler, and G. S. Berenson
Modifying Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Children: Is It Ever Too Early to Start?
JAMA, April 22, 1998; 279(16): 1261 - 1262.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
H. Niinikoski, J. Viikari, T. Ronnemaa, H. Helenius, E. Jokinen, H. Lapinleimu, T. Routi, H. Lagstrom, R. Seppanen, I. Valimaki, et al.
Regulation of Growth of 7- to 36-Month-Old Children by Energy and Fat Intake in the Prospective, Randomized STRIP Baby Trial
Pediatrics, November 1, 1997; 100(5): 810 - 816.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]