A variety index for toddlers : development and application

When embarking upon the development of an index of dietary variety for toddlers, several issues must be considered. The first issue is which food guide or pattern will be used as a model for variety. A second issue is what method will be used to assess dietary intake; considerations include the type of information desired, the amount of time available for collection, resources available, the degree of accuracy desired, and characteristics of the population. After information is collected, the way the data are analyzed is another consideration in the formation of an index of variety. If accurate quantification of variety is the goal, additional issues arise, such as the choice of serving sizes and the treatment of combination foods. Finally, the purpose of a variety index may influence its construction.

Each of these issues will be addressed individually in the chapters of this thesis. But in order to justify the need for measures of variety in the diets of children, it is important to determine what children are eating. Most existing measures for dietary variety are specific to adults, and if children are included in the analyses they are treated similarly to the adults. While information on the variety in the diets of children is limited, more information is available on their diets in general. This chapter will cover the current recommendations for feeding children and will briefly review the reports of actual intake.