Sources of variation in energy intake by men and women as determined from one year's daily dietary records

Article Abstract:

In order to evaluate the dietary habits of an individual or a group, nutritionists need to assess their usual intake. The most accurate method of doing so has not yet been established because many sources of error are involved. Variation from day to day for one person is called intraindividual variation, meaning within the individual. Research has shown that a person's dietary intake can vary widely from one day to the next. The researchers attempted to measure the effect of certain sources of intraindividual variation on energy intake. Thirteen men and 16 women recorded all foods eaten every day for one year and researchers calculated their energy intake. Results showed that body weight was an important source of variation in subsequent energy intake. If a subject had gained weight one week, this tended to cause reduced energy intake the next week. The subjects had been instructed to maintain their body weight throughout the study, and they were weighed every Monday. It appears that on average they responded to a weight gain by reducing calories in their diet. Day of the week also appeared to influence energy intake. Subjects ate the most on Fridays and Saturdays and the least on Mondays and Tuesdays. The month was a significant source of dietary variation. On average, subjects ate more in summer and winter months than in the fall and spring. The authors speculate that this could be due to increased energy needs in the extremes of temperature, or to the timing of picnics and holidays. Since the number of subjects was small, the results of this study cannot be generalized to the population. But this study is of note because of the unusually large number of food records (365) obtained for each subject; the results most likely reflect the actual intakes of these subjects very accurately.

Models

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Changes in food and nutrient intake in middle-aged men from 1960 to 1985 (the Zutphen Study)

Article Abstract:

A survey of dietary habits was conducted in Zutphen, The Netherlands. In 1960, 1,049 middle-aged men (40 to 59 years old) were interviewed about their eating habits; the diet survey was then repeated in 1965, 1970 and 1985. Because the study spanned 25 years, only 315 subjects completed all four surveys. A subset of subjects also underwent a physical examination. In 1985 a new group of 51 middle-aged men was surveyed and was compared with the original subjects. Dietary changes between 1960 and 1985 were similar both in the original group at the beginning and end of the study and between the original and the second middle-aged groups examined 25 years apart. In 1985 subjects ate less bread, potatoes and fats and consumed more fruits, pastries, nuts and alcohol than in 1960. Also, the men ate significantly less monounsaturated fat, potassium and complex carbohydrates and substantially more animal protein in 1985. Some of the changes were desirable for promoting good health and nutrition, but the typical diet of 1985 was still considerably different from the guidelines for a healthy diet as defined by The Netherlands Nutrition Council in 1986. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Netherlands, Surveys

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