Association of raisin and raisin‐containing food consumption with nutrient intake and diet quality in US children: NHANES 2001‐2012

BACKGROUND: Raisins are a commonly consumed dried fruit and given their nutrient profile may offer nutritional and health benefits. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between consumption of raisins and raisin‐containing foods with nutrient intake and dietary quality in children. METHODS: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for 2001–2012 in those 2–18 years of age (n = 20,175) were used. Consumers of raisins (n = 154, 51.6% female) and raisin‐containing foods (n = 1,993, 52.5% female) were defined as reporting any consumption of raisins and raisin‐containing foods, respectively, during the first 24‐hr diet recall. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)‐2010. Regression analyses were conducted comparing consumers and nonconsumers using appropriate sample weights and adjusted for demographic and lifestyle covariates with significance set at p < 0.01. RESULTS: Regarding “nutrients of public health concern/shortfall nutrients” and “nutrients to limit,” raisin consumers had higher intakes of dietary fiber (23%), potassium (16%), magnesium (12%) with lower intakes of added sugars (−19%) than nonconsumers. Similarly, consumers of raisin‐containing foods also had higher intakes of dietary fiber (15%), potassium (5%), magnesium (11%), iron (6%), vitamin A (10%), and vitamin E (13%) and lower intake of sodium (−5%). Consumers of raisin and raisin‐containing foods had higher intakes of fruits (60%, 16%, respectively), whole fruits (119%, 23%, respectively) and whole grains (44%, 93%, respectively) and had a better diet quality as per higher total HEI 2010 scores (22%, 8%, respectively) than nonconsumers. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, consumption of raisins or raisin‐containing foods was associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in American children.