They found that globally children and adolescents are eating relatively low amounts of plant-based foods, from 1.19 servings/day in children under age one to 3.55 servings/day in 15-19-year-olds, with little variation by sex. The rates were estimated to be lowest in South Asia across all ages, while countries in East and Southeast Asia had some of the highest rates, across many age groups, mostly because children and adolescents there consumed more non-starchy vegetables.
They also found that intake of these important foods increased with age in all regions except in high income countries. On a per-country level, rates were highest in Vietnam, Congo, and Mexico; and lowest in Spain, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. From 1990 to 2018, total intake of healthy plant-based foods increased globally and in all regions except South Asia.
Notably, the analysis showed that children in the United States consumed among the highest amounts of healthy plant-based foods during infancy but among the lowest by later childhood and adolescence. Children younger than age two consumed 2.7 servings/day, whereas youth ages 2–19 consumed just 1.8 servings/day.
The researchers say this decline suggests that while American families successfully establish healthy eating habits early in life, maintaining those habits throughout childhood and adolescence remains a challenge.
The researchers also found that only in high-income countries did consumption of healthful plant-based foods decrease with age, which they say may suggest that factors such as youth autonomy, food environments, or cultural norms may shape children’s diets in these areas.