Fatty Acid Profile, Lipid Quality Indices and Oxidative Stability of Snacks Consumed by Children Aged 6–24 Months in Rural Matiari, Sindh, Pakistan

TL;DR

This study analyzed the fat content and quality of snacks eaten by young children in rural Pakistan, finding them unhealthy and suggesting healthier alternatives.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed fatty acid and lipid quality analysis of high-fat snacks consumed by children in a specific rural region of Pakistan.

Findings

Snacks had high saturated fat content, particularly palmitic acid, and low polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Most snacks showed poor lipid quality based on atherogenic and thrombogenic indices.

Oxidative stability and nutritional indices indicated potential health risks for children.

Abstract

High consumption of unhealthy, high-fat snacks negatively affects children’s health, highlighting the need to replace these with healthier alternatives. This study aimed to determine the fatty acid (FA) composition and lipid quality of various branded and local high-fat snacks consumed by children aged 6–24 months in rural Matiari, Sindh. The total energy content of the products ranged from 390.6 to 625.6 kcal/100 g, with fat contributing 9.1 to 47.2 g/100 g. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were predominant across samples, particularly palmitic acid (C16:0), ranging from 0.69 ± 0.22 to 16.61 ± 0.1 g/100 g. Among unsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) was the most prevalent, ranging from 4.63 ± 0.2 to 21.07 ± 0.3 g/100 g. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), were present in lower concentrations. Lipid quality was assessed using four indices: Atherogenic Index (AI), Thrombogenic Index (TI), hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic (h/H) ratio, and Nutritional Index (NI). Most products exhibited moderate to poor lipid quality, with AI ranging from 0.08 (good) to 1.25 (poor), TI ranging from 0.11 (good) to 1.23 (poor), h/H ratios ranging mostly below 1.0 (undesirable), and NI values ranging from 0.81 to 9.19. In the analyzed snack samples, the results indicate high SFA content, poor lipid quality, and oxidative stability, which may adversely affect children’s health. Changes in dietary habits and the adoption of healthier food choices are strongly recommended to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Furthermore, understanding the FA profile of foods can support the development of targeted health programs for this population.

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