Introduction:

promoting healthy lifestyles already from the pediatric age for prevention of diseases at a short, mid and long-term is compulsory worldwide.

Objectives:

to know eating patterns and dietary habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviours in urban Spanish children aged one to nine years old, no vegan, by evaluating the differences between standard milk consumers (RS) and milk formula (AMS).

Methods:

prospective, observational, cross-sectional study with 1,514 children. A food frequency questionnaire, a physical activity and sedentary behaviour questionnaire, and two 24-hour dietary recalls (one face-to-face and one by phone) were used.

Results:

the daily energy intake was significantly higher in the RS group (1,503 kcal vs 1,404 kcal). The contribution of protein and fat to the total caloric value of the diet is high, being for the first one significantly higher in RS (16.5 % vs 15.6 %). However, for carbohydrate is low and significantly higher in AMS (46.7 % vs 45.5 %). The contribution of the food groups to the energy intake present significant differences between the groups.

Conclusions:

Spanish children between 1-9 years old have an adequate, but slightly elevated energy intake than the recommendations. There is a high contribution of protein and fat, and low of carbohydrate to the total caloric value. AMS children have a higher adherence to dietary guidelines and nutritional recommendations and, therefore, a suggested higher diet quality.

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