Abstract:
School age and adolescence is a dynamic period of growth
and development forming a strong foundation for good
health and productive adult life. Appropriate dietary intake
is critical for forming good eating habits and provides the
much needed nutrients for growth, long-term health, cogni-
tion and educational achievements. A large proportion of
the population globally is in the school age or adolescence,
with more than three quarters of these groups living in de-
veloping countries. An up-to-date review and discussion of
the dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents in de-
veloping countries is suitable to provide recent data on pat-
terns of dietary intake, adequacy of nutrient intake and their
implications for public health and nutrition issues of con-
cern. This review is based on literature published from 2000
to 2014 on dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents
aged 6–19 years. A total of 50 studies from 42 countries re-
porting on dietary intake of schoolchildren and adolescents
were included. The dietary intake of schoolchildren and ado-
lescents in developing countries is limited in diversity, main-y comprising plant-based food sources, but with limited in-
take of fruits and vegetables. There is a low energy intake
and insufficient micronutrient intake. At the same time, the
available data indicate an emerging trend of consumption of
high-energy snacks and beverages, particularly in urban ar-
eas. The existence of a negative and positive energy balance
in the same population points to the dual burden of malnu-
trition and highlights the emerging nutrition transition in
developing countries. This observation is important for plan-
ning public health nutrition approaches that address the
concerns of the two ends of the nutrition divide.
