Dietary Survey in a Chinese Population

Objectives: To assess food pattern and nutrition profile aiming at planning population-based nutrition intervention for chronic diseases control.

Design: A randomized survey.

Setting: The survey was carried out in Tianjin, one of the three largest cities in China.

Subjects: 3683 subjects aged 15-64 years old were selected by a random stratified multilevel cluster sampling.

Intervention: The diet was assessed by food weighing plus consecutive individual 3 day food records.

Results: Distinct differences in dietary pattern and nutrient intakes were found between subjects living in urban and rural areas. The diet of urban people was richer in fat and high quality protein compared with the diet of rural people. Low intakes of vitamin A, calcium, riboflavin, and zinc were found in both areas, the situation being worse in the rural areas. The sodium intake and sodium:potassium ratio was very high in both areas. Cholesterol intake was much higher among the urban people.

Conclusion: The study suggests that integrated nutrition intervention is needed to prevent insufficient intake of some nutrients and control dietary risk factors related to chronic diseases.