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Social diversity of Irish adults nutritional intake

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 865–875 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: The first health and lifestyle survey of Irish adults was carried out in 1998 and aimed to describe the health-related lifestyle behaviours of a cross-section of various population strata residing in the Republic of Ireland. This paper reports on the social variation in nutrient intake.

Design: A self-administered postal questionnaire, including a 149 food item semiquantitative food frequency section, from which nutrient intakes were estimated based on McCance and Widdowson food composition tables.

Setting: Community-based adults aged 18 years and over residing in the Republic of Ireland on the Register of Electors.

Subjects: A stratified sample of adults on the Register of Electors received the questionnaire, of which 6539 (62%) were returned.

Results: The contribution of fat to total energy intake increased with decreasing socioeconomic grouping, a finding reflective of the higher consumption levels of foods high in fat by respondents from socially disadvantaged groups. Energy from carbohydrates was greatest among those from socially advantaged groups, and was close to the recommended 50% of the total energy intake. Conversely, energy from protein decreased with increasing social status group. The mean intake of vitamins and minerals was generally close to or above the recommended values. Significant variation was observed among females across the different levels of education, whereas living with someone appeared to influence the micronutrient intake of males. The reported diets of males and females over the age of 65 years were lacking in vitamin D. Mean calcium levels among males were borderline and females over the age of 65 years had mean dietary iron levels below the recommended intake.

Conclusions: For the first time, quantification of nutrient intake in the different social groups in Ireland has been undertaken. A healthy balance of energy derived from fat, protein and carbohydrate is best achieved among respondents from higher social positions. The positive relation observed with healthy food intake and increasing education level was also present in macronutrient intake and a clear gender and social support interplay was seen in the nutrient intake levels.

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Acknowledgements

The Survey of Lifestyle Attitudes and Nutrition, SLAN, was commissioned and funded by the Health Promotion Unit of the Department of Health and Children, Republic of Ireland. The design and data collection phase was overseen by a multi discipline steering committee, comprised of academic members, health board representatives and members of the Department of Health and Children. Financial assistance for the analyses and preparation of this paper was received from the Combat Poverty Agency, Ireland. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Combat Poverty Agency. Cecily Kelleher is principal investigator of the Health Research Board Unit on Health Status and Health Gain and a member of the European Science Foundation Social Variations in Health Expectancy in Europe.

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  1. Department of Health Promotion, National Nutrition Surveillance Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland

    S Friel, C C Kelleher, G Nolan & J Harrington

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  1. S Friel
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  2. C C Kelleher
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  4. J Harrington
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Contributions

Guarantor: S. Friel.

Contributors: SF is Assistant Academic Director in the Department of Health Promotion and is responsible for the co-ordination and management of the Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition. She performed the majority of the data analyses and drafting of the paper. CK is Head of the Centre for Health Promotion Studies and senior scientist in charge of the Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition. She was responsible for the design of the survey instrument, contributed to the interpretation of the data analyses and to the drafting of the Introduction and Discussion. GN is Consultant Nutritionist to the National Nutrition Surveillance Centre and provided dietary direction of the instrument development and paper. JH is Nutrition Researcher in the National Nutrition Surveillance Centre and was involved in data analyses of the food frequency questionnaire.

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Correspondence to S Friel.

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Friel, S., Kelleher, C., Nolan, G. et al. Social diversity of Irish adults nutritional intake. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 865–875 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601620

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