RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NRF INDEX AS A MEASURE OF DIET QUALITY AND MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN

Background and Aim: Objectives: The assessment of pediatric diet quality is of high interest as pediatric food habits can predict diet related disease in adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF) index score and weight and height status. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in primary schools of Tehran, the NRF9.3 algorithms were used to estimate the nutrient density of diet of 400 girl children, aged 6.5-8.4 years. Dietary data was collected using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire of foods consumed over the past month. Height and weight were measured using standardized methods and height for age, BMI for age, and weight for age were classified using World Health Organization s Child Growth Standards Z-scores. Linear regression was used to examine the association between the NRF index score and its components (NR9 and LIM3) and weight for age, height for age, and BMI for age.Results: We found a significant positive relationship between the NRF9.3 index and height for age (P=0.039), while NR9 index score had tendency to increase height, although it was not significant (p=0.056). The NRF9.3, NR9 and LIM3 scores were unrelated to weight, weight for age, and BMI for age in our participants after taking potential confounders into account (P> 0.05). Conclusion: NRF index score was only associated with height, but not other growth factors. The association between diet quality and malnutrition should be further examined in different age groups, male children, and in prospective studies to be better understood.

Keywords:

nutrient density , malnutrition , diet quality , NRF9.3 index score , children