Maternal employment and the quality of young children's diets: empirical evidence based on the 1987-1988 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey.

Data from 442 children, aged 2 to 5, who were participants in the 1987-1988 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, were examined to determine the effect of maternal employment on the quality of their diets. Diet quality was assessed by examining nutrient adequacy and nutrient overconsumption using the 3-day average of one 24-hour recall and 2 days of written diet records. To assess dietary adequacy, a mean adequacy ratio of the four nutrients (zinc, vitamin E, iron, and calcium) for which 30% or more of the children fell below 77% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances was constructed. Percent calories from fat and saturated fat, and intake of cholesterol and sodium were examined to assess overconsumption. Multiple correlation regression analysis was used to control for household income, maternal education and age, child's age, race, number of siblings aged 5 or younger, presence of male head of household, and number of meals eaten away from home. Maternal employment did not contribute significantly to the variation in any of the dietary variables. Although a number of dietary problems existed among the sample children, the variation in intakes of these nutrients was not directly related to maternal employment status.