# Dietary intake temporal patterns during early childhood in relation to diet quality in middle childhood and the role of family characteristics: the GECKO Drenthe cohort

## TL;DR

This study shows that early childhood eating patterns are linked to diet quality in middle childhood, with family characteristics influencing these patterns.

## Contribution

The study identifies distinct dietary intake patterns in early childhood and their associations with later diet quality and family factors.

## Key findings

- Higher intake of healthy foods in early childhood is linked to better diet quality at age 10/11.
- Unhealthier food patterns are associated with lower parental education and income.
- Sugar-sweetened beverage intake shows the strongest tracking from early childhood to middle childhood.

## Abstract

Early childhood food intakes may influence subsequent diet quality. This study described dietary intake temporal patterns of specific food groups from infancy to 3 years. It explored associations with diet quality at 10/11 years and investigated how family characteristics affect these dietary patterns.

Food group intake was assessed in 2552 children (49.9% boys) at several time points from 7 months to 3 years (GECKO Drenthe cohort). Latent class analyses (LCA) identified temporal patterns for healthy foods (fruit, vegetable, bread type, and dairy) and unhealthy foods (‘meat and fish’, convenience meals, savory snacks, sweet snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages [SSB]). Associations with diet quality at 10/11 years (n = 856) were assessed using linear regression. Associations with family characteristics (n = 2256) were examined using multinomial logistic regression.

Three distinct temporal patterns were identified for each food group, differing in intake levels and changing over time. Dietary intake patterns were associated with intake of the same food group at 10/11 years (p < 0.05). The weakest tracking was observed for ‘meat and fish’, while the strongest tracking was seen for SSB. Higher intake patterns of healthy foods were associated with better diet quality at 10/11 years, while the opposite was true for unhealthy foods. Unhealthier food intake patterns were related to lower parental education and household income, younger parental age, higher parental BMI, smoking during pregnancy, and having siblings at birth.

Food group intakes from infancy to age 3 were associated with subsequent diet quality. Promoting healthy eating in early life is essential for long-term dietary health.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00394-026-03934-8.