Page 96 - Petelin, Ana, et al. 2019. Eds. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 96
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 94 categories Breakfast cereals and Yogurts and similar products was inadequate,
and therefore their consumption should not be encouraged. Breakfast cereals
are very popular among Slovenians and we often enjoy them, as well as yogurt.
Unfortunately, due to the high sugar content, they are most often not suitable
for daily consumption. The consumption of food from other categories should
not be encouraged either due to the excessive content of sugar (Beverages), in-
adequate fat composition (Cheese and Meat and fish products) or excessive salt
(Salty snacks and nuts and Meat and fish products).
A similar result was obtained when the selected foods were evaluated with
food traffic light labelling, the one that tells with colour whether the amount of
a certain nutrient in a food is appropriate (green), medium (yellow) or excessive
(red). For foods with red coloured fields, a warning is given that it should not
be consumed in large quantities and not too often. In the case of foods that we
had examined, the red light shined in most products, more precisely in 72 out
of a total of 90 products. Therefore, most are not suitable for everyday food and
can be consumed only occasionally or in small quantities. In our case, a quar-
ter of foods, the red light was turned on due to an excessive amount of fat, and
in 37 % due to excessive saturated fat content. The red light illuminated a quar-
ter of the foods that contained too much salt, while too much sugar was con-
tained in over half of all foods examined (43 %) in the food traffic light system.
Discussion
Meat and meat products are a source of protein needed for children’s growth
and development. According to the Nutritional Guidelines, the consumption
of meat products can be encouraged if they contain less than 20 grams of fat
and less than 1.7 grams of salt per 100 grams of food. The results of the anal-
yses of 17 randomly selected meat products that attracted children with their
packaging have unfortunately shown that the consumption of eight products
should not be encouraged. They contain a lot of fat and salt, which makes them
unsuitable for children’s consumption and should only be on the menu occa-
sionally. Seven of the total of 17 products examined contained too much fat,
ranging from 21.5 to 28.1 grams per 100 grams of food, for which a red light
would blink at the food traffic lights. The light would also turn red, because this
foods contained to much salt (1.8 – 2.2 g / 100 g).
In Figure 2, we compared two meat products more in detail. One was
the product the consumption of which can be encouraged (Dino piščančji
medaljončki) and the other which should not (Perutnina Ptuj Pepe mini
pašteta). We compared the amount of daily intake of energy and nutrients that
children (4 years old) or teenagers (13 - 15 years old) get with one serving (50 g),
compared to the recommended amount of daily intake of energy and nutrients.
Dino piščančji medaljoni product has a more appropriate nutrient profile, since
both children and teenagers consume less energy, fat and salt with one portion
than with Perutnina Ptuj Pepe mini pašteta (Ministrstvo za zdravje, 2004).
and therefore their consumption should not be encouraged. Breakfast cereals
are very popular among Slovenians and we often enjoy them, as well as yogurt.
Unfortunately, due to the high sugar content, they are most often not suitable
for daily consumption. The consumption of food from other categories should
not be encouraged either due to the excessive content of sugar (Beverages), in-
adequate fat composition (Cheese and Meat and fish products) or excessive salt
(Salty snacks and nuts and Meat and fish products).
A similar result was obtained when the selected foods were evaluated with
food traffic light labelling, the one that tells with colour whether the amount of
a certain nutrient in a food is appropriate (green), medium (yellow) or excessive
(red). For foods with red coloured fields, a warning is given that it should not
be consumed in large quantities and not too often. In the case of foods that we
had examined, the red light shined in most products, more precisely in 72 out
of a total of 90 products. Therefore, most are not suitable for everyday food and
can be consumed only occasionally or in small quantities. In our case, a quar-
ter of foods, the red light was turned on due to an excessive amount of fat, and
in 37 % due to excessive saturated fat content. The red light illuminated a quar-
ter of the foods that contained too much salt, while too much sugar was con-
tained in over half of all foods examined (43 %) in the food traffic light system.
Discussion
Meat and meat products are a source of protein needed for children’s growth
and development. According to the Nutritional Guidelines, the consumption
of meat products can be encouraged if they contain less than 20 grams of fat
and less than 1.7 grams of salt per 100 grams of food. The results of the anal-
yses of 17 randomly selected meat products that attracted children with their
packaging have unfortunately shown that the consumption of eight products
should not be encouraged. They contain a lot of fat and salt, which makes them
unsuitable for children’s consumption and should only be on the menu occa-
sionally. Seven of the total of 17 products examined contained too much fat,
ranging from 21.5 to 28.1 grams per 100 grams of food, for which a red light
would blink at the food traffic lights. The light would also turn red, because this
foods contained to much salt (1.8 – 2.2 g / 100 g).
In Figure 2, we compared two meat products more in detail. One was
the product the consumption of which can be encouraged (Dino piščančji
medaljončki) and the other which should not (Perutnina Ptuj Pepe mini
pašteta). We compared the amount of daily intake of energy and nutrients that
children (4 years old) or teenagers (13 - 15 years old) get with one serving (50 g),
compared to the recommended amount of daily intake of energy and nutrients.
Dino piščančji medaljoni product has a more appropriate nutrient profile, since
both children and teenagers consume less energy, fat and salt with one portion
than with Perutnina Ptuj Pepe mini pašteta (Ministrstvo za zdravje, 2004).
