Intake of Potatoes Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality, and Improved Nutrient Intake and Adequacy among US Adolescents: NHANES 2001–2018 Analysis

Potatoes are nutrient rich white vegetables, however, research on their impact on public health is limited. The objective of this study was to provide updated evaluation of the cross-sectional association between potato consumption and diet quality, nutrient intake and adequacy. Twenty-four hour diet recall data from adolescents (n = 16,633; age 9–18 years) were used to assess intakes. Usual intakes of nutrients were determined using the National Cancer Institute method and diet quality was calculated using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) after adjusting for demographic factors. Consumers of potatoes (baked or boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes and potato mixtures, fried potatoes, and potato chips) had higher (p < 0.05) HEI-2015 total score and subcomponent scores for total vegetables, total protein foods, and refined grain than non-consumers. Consumers also had higher (p < 0.05) intake of energy, dietary fiber, protein, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, niacin, vitamin B(6), vitamin C, vitamin K and total choline; and higher (p < 0.05) adequacy for protein, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B(6), vitamin C, and vitamin K than non-consumers. In conclusion, adolescent potato consumption was associated with higher diet quality, nutrient intake, and adequacy and therefore encouraging their consumption may be an effective strategy for improving nutritional status.