How Nutritious Is Cereal?

A government study found cold breakfast cereal was the main source of key vitamins and minerals for American children. But that's not necessarily a good thing.

Children may be eating fortified cereal in place of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, which contain fiber and cancer-fighting substances, said Amy Subar, a research nutritionist with the National Cancer Institute.

Her findings were published Tuesday in the October issue of Pediatrics, a journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The study shows just how little of the foods with naturally-occurring nutrients kids are eating, she said.

Kellogg, the world's leading maker of ready-to-eat cereal, sees the study as good news.

"It really does show the role cereal can play in in delivering important nutrients in kids' diets," Kellogg spokeswoman Karen Kafer said.

Cereal is not necessarily unhealthy, Subar said. Fortified cereals do in fact appear to be among the more nutritious foods children are eating.

"We just shouldn't kid ourselves that they're necessarily getting all that they need from cereal," she said.

The study of 4,008 children ages 2 through 18 looked at 20 foods they ate between 1989 and 1991. Cereal was the No. 1 source of vitamin A, iron, and folic acid for every age. Folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

However, sugary drinks were the No. 2 source of carbohydrates, behind bread. And high-fat foods such as cakes and cookies ranked among youngsters' top 10 sources of vitamin E, protein, fiber, calcium, and iron.

Gail Frank, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said the findings were not surprising, but also not terribly worrisome. At least, she said, the children weren't skipping breakfast or eating high-fat fast food.

She said parents shouldn't discourage eating cereal, but should encourage their youngsters to have it with fruit or a glass of juice.

Written by Lindsey Tanner