Source: Nutrition and health (Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire). 2006; 18: 141-149.

This study was done to ascertain whether the normal diet of a preschooler (child from 3-4 years) is adequate for various vitamins, minerals, energy, fat and proteins. This study was done on the basis of a questionnaire and recall of all the foodstuff that the child had consumed in last 24 hours for 3 consecutive days. It was found that recommended daily allowance (RDA) of cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, fruits, fats and oils, milk and milk products and sugar and jaggery was lower than their respective RDAs except roots and tubers which were consumed in adequate amount by boys of the same age group. Also though intake of protein, fat, calcium, thiamine, folic acid and vitamin B12 was as per recommendations by Indian Council of Medical Research, the intake of iron and vitamin C was less. Thus this study detects that diet in preschoolers is deficient in micronutrients especially iron and vitamin C and girls seem to be deficient in both macronutrients and micronutrients. Thus micronutrient fortified food with enough energy intake is needed for adequate growth in these children and gender based dietary inadequacy needs to be rectified with education for healthy balanced diet.