Establishing Community-Level Consumption Behaviors of 50 Adults in North Carolina with Comparisons to NHANES
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Survey estimates of foods people eat are a key component of nutritional intake and dietary exposure calculations. These calculations drive our understanding of the impact food choices have on nutrition, possible exposure to environmental contaminants, and, ultimately, health. A study was conducted to 1) characterize food consumption of a targeted geographical area (Chapel Hill, NC) based on 24-hr food diaries and 2) determine if national food consumption rates by category accurately represent those of the community. Fifty adults were recruited in which food diaries were completed on 12 separate days over six-weeks. The foods were categorized into 13 groups and consumption rates were converted from cups to grams. The consumption habits were characterized and compared to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) What We Eat In America (WWEIA) for the US population.
The community consumption rates differ from the national averages except for beverages – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, excluding water. SPSS and R were used to evaluate the data for relationships between demographic, consumption, and temporal variables through descriptive and inferential analysis. Community level data can offer critical details for consumption habits. Inclusion of temporal factors indicates variations in overall consumption habits. Community level data highlight significant differences in consumption by food categories (i.e., fruits, proteins) from the national survey results suggesting the need for more in-depth information on eating habits at a community level to be gathered for health research and policy. Unique behaviors used for cooking, dining, cultural and geographical habits, and food choices may be lost when using nationally combined information to make estimates or judgements for a targeted community.