Nutritional habits and nutritional patterns of participants of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Survey 2003-2004

OBJECTIVES
Nutritional habits and nutritional patterns of the participants of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study 2003-2004 were evaluated together with changing trends within the past 20 years.

STUDY DESIGN
Face–to–face interviews were made with 787 participants (394 men, 393 women; mean age, 53.0 years in men, 52.4 years in women) to inquire into daily energy intake, nutritional constituents, and proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in daily energy intake. The participants equally represented all geographical regions of Turkey, with 22% living in rural, and 78% in urban settings.

RESULTS
The proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in daily energy intake were 53.3%, 13.7%, and 33%, respectively. Nutrition components in daily energy intake were as follows: cereals and related products (37%), fat and oil (15%), milk and dairy products (13%), fruits (10%), vegetables (6%), sugar, honey, and jam (7%), and meat and poultry (6%). Carbohydrate was mainly supplied by cereals (56%), followed by fruits and vegetables (24%), and sugar, honey, and jam (13%). Protein intake was from cereals (37%), meat and poultry (20%), milk and dairy products (19%), and fruits and vegetables (15%). Visible fats (fat and oil) and invisible fat accounted for 41% and 59%, respectively. In comparison with previously reported proportions of daily energy, carbohydrates decreased by 9%, cereals decreased from 52% to 32%, whereas proteins, total fat, and invisible fat increased by 2%, 8%, and 14%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Our data suggest that nutritional habits of participants of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Survey 2003-2004 have undergone changes in the past years.