Objective: To evaluate the dietary quality by adjusted diet balance index (DBI_16) of preschool left behind children in Anhui Province, and to provide a reference for rapidly and accurately evaluating their nutrition condition. Methods: During September to December of 2018, selected 306 left behind children and 598 non left behind children aged 3-6 years old of Anhui Province in total. Four scoring methods (TS total score, LBS Low Bound Score, HBS High Bound Score, DQD Diet Quality Distance) were used to evaluate the dietary quality by Diet Balance Index Revision (DBI_16), and scores were compared to reflect the diet quality of preschool children in LBC group and NLBC group. Results: The score of TS (-18.2, -16.1) in LBC group was lower than that of NLBC group, the scores of LBS(24.8, 23.1), HBS (7.9, 6.4) and DQD (35.9, 34.4) in LBC group were higher than that of NLBC group( Z =-46.02, 12.45, 4.14, 4.78, P <0.05). The daily intake of vegetables, fruits, animal food, milk, soybean and drinking water were obviously under the RNI, the dietary intake scores of milk(-4.1, -2.7), animal food (-2.2, -0.8) and food species (-7.4, -6.2) in LBC group were higher than that in NLBC group( Z =-26.42, 13.51, -6.59, P <0.01). About 44.1% of the preschool LBC were in moderate or severe deficit of food intake, 66.0% of the LBC were in the higher level of dietary imbalance, the LBC group s excessive and imbalance problem were of significant differences than those in the NLBC group ( χ 2=15.79, 11.51, P <0.05). Conclusion The dietary quality of preschool children in Anhui Province should be improved, the main diet problem was the dietary imbalance, which was related to deficiency in nutrients intake. The scores of DBI_16 in LBC group were significant different with those in NLBC group, it is necessary to take specific intervention to increase the intake of milk, eggs and fruits among preschool children.

Objective: To evaluate the dietary quality for preschool children by diet balance index(DBI_C), and to provide an empirical reference for scientific guidance for a reasonable diet and controlling and preventing iron deficiency anemia(IDA). Methods: During September to December of 2018, 306 left behind children and 598 non left behind children aged 3-6 years old of Anhui Province were selected. Four scoring methods (TS Total Score, LBS Low Bound Score, HBS High Bound Score, DQD Diet Quality Distance) were used to evaluate the dietary quality by DBI_C, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between DBI_C and IDA. Results: The anemia prevalence (AP) was 13.3% among the 3-6 year old children in Anhui rural area, whereas the left behind children (LBC) was 16.7% and the non left behind children was 10.9%, and there was statistical significance of the differences ( χ 2=8.8, P <0.05). There were significant differences of TS[-18.3(25.2，-12.7)，-15.2(-19.8，-8.6)], LBS[25.4(18.3，32.5)，22.7(16.5，30.6)] and DQD[36.8(23.9，43.4)，34.1(27.5，41.0)] in DBI_C scores between anemia group and nonanemia group ( P <0.05). There were significant differences of milk and beans [-5.9(-10.7，-0.4)，-5.0(-8.7，0.2)], animal food [-2.4(-5.6，0.8)，-0.6(3.5，1.9)], food species [-7.5(-9.1，-4.8)，-6.3(-8.0，-2.9)] in food intake scores between anemia group and non anemia group ( P <0.05). Left behind children ( OR =1.27, 95% CI =1.15-1.49) had higher proportions of getting anemia. Meat consumption >3 times per week ( OR =0.81, 95% CI =0.68-0.94) and ≥two types of fresh vegetable consumption every day ( OR =0.84, 95% CI =0.73-0.95) were associated with lower rate of anemia( P <0.05). Conclusion The AP was relatively high in 3-6 year old children in Anhui rural area, especially in those LBC. Anemia should be reduced by improving the caregivers dietary literacy, increasing intakes of animal foods and fresh vegetables.