What strategies can help preschool-aged children eat more dairy and get enough calcium?
This study reviewed existing nutrition interventions to understand what approaches are most effective at increasing dairy and calcium intake among preschool-aged children.
What We Did and Why We Did It
The researchers examined 14 intervention studies to identify which strategies, settings, and behaviour change techniques were linked with improvements in children’s dairy and calcium consumption. We conducted a systematic literature review of 14 intervention studies published between 1998 and 2018 that aimed to increase dairy and/or calcium intake among children aged 1.5 to 5 years. Studies were identified through multiple databases and included interventions targeting children, parents, families, preschools, and childcare settings. Researchers compared the characteristics of each intervention, including how long it lasted, how often participants received support, where it was delivered, who it targeted, and which behaviour change techniques were used. The quality of the studies was also assessed by examining risk of bias and the strength of the evidence.
Dairy products provide important nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D, that support children’s growth, development, and bone health. However, many preschool-aged children are not meeting recommended dairy intake levels. Since eating habits are often established during early childhood, researchers wanted to understand which types of interventions are most successful at encouraging healthier dairy and calcium consumption habits among young children.
What We Found
What We Can Learn From This
Out of the 14 interventions reviewed, five reported significant improvements in children’s dairy or calcium intake. Effective interventions were more likely to be delivered in a single setting, such as a preschool or childcare facility, rather than across multiple settings. Strategies that focused on changing the environment to make healthy choices easier (environmental restructuring) and teaching children or caregivers to use reminders and cues were also associated with better outcomes. Interventions that involved both parents and children showed potential benefits, highlighting the important role parents play in shaping young children’s eating habits. However, overall evidence quality was considered very low due to limitations in study design, small sample sizes, and a high or unclear risk of bias across many studies.
Helping preschool-aged children develop healthy eating habits may require strategies that involve both children and their caregivers. Creating supportive food environments, providing practical guidance, and working with families may help increase dairy and calcium intake. Future interventions should focus specifically on dairy and calcium behaviours, use strong study designs, and provide clearer reporting to better understand what approaches work best.
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