Table 2

Mean total energy, and total protein, animal and plant protein intakes and their contribution to the energy intakes (n = 661)

Intake^a

Total

Boys

Girls

P^b

Total energy intake (kcal/d)

Mean ± SD

2.5-4 y

1408.4 ± 260.4

1441.7 ± 253.0

1372.7 ± 264.9

0.045

4-6.5 y

1474.4 ± 240.0*

1526.3 ± 233.7**

1420.8 ± 235.1

<0.001

Total protein (g/d)

2.5-4 y

54.8 ± 11.8

55.2 ± 10.5

54.3 ± 13.0

0.405

4-6.5 y

56.4 ± 10.7

58.1 ± 10.3**

54.6 ± 10.9

<0.001

Total protein (g/(kg.d))

2.5-4 y

3.7 ± 0.9

3.7 ± 0.8

3.7 ± 0.9

0.400

4-6.5 y

3.1 ± 0.8*

3.2 ± 0.7*

3.0 ± 0.8*

0.002

Animal protein (g/d)

2.5-4 y

37.7 ± 10.9

37.2 ± 9.9

38.3 ± 11.8

0.576

4-6.5 y

38.8 ± 9.7

39.9 ± 9.6**

37.7 ± 9.8

0.013

Plant protein (g/d)

2.5-4 y

17.0 ± 4.8

18.0 ± 5.6

15.9 ± 3.6

0.002

4-6.5 y

17.6 ± 4.4**

18.3 ± 4.5

17.0 ± 4.2**

0.001

Animal/plant protein ratio

2.5-4 y

2.4 ± 0.8

2.2 ± 0.9

2.5 ± 0.9

0.025

4-6.5 y

2.3 ± 0.8

2.3 ± 0.7

2.3 ± 0.8

0.533

Energy % ± SD

Total protein

2.5-4 y

15.7 ± 2.1

15.5 ± 2.1

15.9 ± 2.0

0.235

4-6.5 y

15.5 ± 2.1

15.4 ± 2.1

15.5 ± 2.0

0.642

Animal protein

2.5-4 y

10.8 ± 2.4

10.4 ± 2.3

11.1 ± 2.4

0.043

4-6.5 y

10.6 ± 2.3

10.6 ± 2.3

10.7 ± 2.3

0.699

Plant protein

2.5-4 y

4.9 ± 1.2

5.1 ± 1.4

4.7 ± 0.9

0.050

4-6.5 y

4.8 ± 0.9

4.8 ± 1.0

4.8 ± 0.8

0.971

SD, standard deviation.

^aMean total, animal, and plant protein intakes were adjusted for within-person variability using the Multiple Source Method.

^bP value for mean differences between boys and girls (Student's t-test after log transformation)

*Mean value was significantly different from 2.5-4 y old, P ≤ 0.001 (Student's t-test after log transformation).

**Mean value was significantly different from 2.5-4 y old, P < 0.05 (Student's t-test after log transformation).

Lin et al. Nutrition Journal 2011 10:97   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-97