Objectives: We determined diet quality trends among nationally representative samples of preschoolers between 1977 and 1998.
Methods: Adjusted diet quality index scores, overall intake, and tertiles of total score were compared for combined samples and 2 age groups using t tests with Bonferroni correction; surveys used were the US Department of Agriculture's National Food Consumption Survey 1977-1979 (n = 2342), Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII) 1989-1991 (n = 858), and CSFII 1994-1996 and 1998 (n = 5355).
Results: Total scores increased slightly. Consumption of grains, fruits, and vegetables improved while added sugar and juice intake worsened.
Conclusions: Diet quality improved marginally since 1977. Consumption of fruits and vegetables needs to be increased and that of total and saturated fat, juice, and added sugar decreased.