National Food Consumption Survey (NIPNOD 2018–2023): Results of Dietary Habits and Diet Quality Among Adolescents in Croatia

Background/Objectives: In Croatia, national data on adolescents’ dietary habits are limited, resulting in a lack of evidence-based food-based dietary guidelines and public health interventions. This study aims to conduct an in-depth evaluation of dietary habits in a national sample of Croatian adolescents stratified by region, sex and age, from the National food consumption survey on adolescents and adults (NIPNOD 2018–2023). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 258 adolescents (50.4% boys; aged 10 to < 18) from the NIPNOD 2018–2023 survey (OC/EFSA/DATA/2017/01), conducted according to the EU Menu methodology. For analysis, the sample was divided into two age groups (10–13 and 14–17 years). To assess dietary intake, two 24 h recalls were analyzed using NutriCro® v. 3.0 software. Dietary intake was compared with European Food Safety Authority dietary reference values (DRV). The contribution of 14 food groups to daily energy intake was analyzed. Diet quality was assessed using the Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A). Results: The mean daily energy intake was 1820 ± 529 kcal, consisting of 45.5 ± 7.0% carbohydrates, 37.8 ± 6.3% fats, and 15.1 ± 3.1% protein. The observed two-day mean intake suggested that 51.6% of adolescents had carbohydrate intake within the EFSA DRV range, while 5.4% and 32.2% had protein and fat intake within the EFSA DRVs, respectively. The main contributors to daily energy intake were grains and grain products (31.5%), meat, poultry, fish, and eggs (18.1%), and cakes, confectionery, sweets, and sugar (14.9%). Frequent breakfast skipping and snack consumption were common, particularly among older adolescents. Adolescents had moderate overall diet quality (57.4 ± 11.6% DQI-A), with no differences between age groups. Conclusions: Analysis of the dietary habits of adolescents in Croatia indicates that most have inadequate macronutrient intake, irregular meal frequency, and moderate overall diet quality. These results highlight the need to develop public health strategies and interventions to improve dietary habits among adolescents in Croatia.