General principles for the collection of national food consumption data in the view of a pan-European dietary survey
EFSA wishes to thank the following members of the Working Group on Food Consumption and Exposure for preparing the draft report: Alexander Boss, Áine Hearty, Gerhard Heinemeyer, Catherine Leclercq, Marga C. Ocké, Christina Tlustos, Liisa Valsta, Philippe Verger and Jean-Luc Volatier and the EFSA staff members Davide Arcella and Caroline Merten. The following members of the Expert Group on Food Consumption Data endorsed the report: Lajos Biró, Ingrid Borg Busuttil, Alexander Boss, Maria Antonia Calhau, Valentin Cristian Lis, Ibrahim Elmadfa, Helene Enghardt-Barbieri, Liis Kambek, Carolin Krems, Matej Gregorič, Catherine Leclercq, George Marakis, Victoria Marcos Suárez, Eliza Markidou, Marga C. Ocké, Merja Paturi, Stefka Petrova, Jiri Ruprich, Dace Santare, Rima Satkute, Włodzimierz Sekuła, Camille Strottner, Inge Tetens, Christina Tlustos, Anna Turzova, Stefanie Vandervijvere and Jean-Luc Volatier.
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The availability of detailed, harmonised and high quality food consumption data at European level is a primary long term objective for EFSA which has been recognised as a top priority for collaboration with the EU Member States. This Guideline has been developed by the EFSA Expert Group on Food Consumption Data. It issues general principles to collect dietary information that can be used to estimate the nutrient intake and to assess exposure to biological agents and chemical substances considered by EFSA’s Scientific Panels. It is recommended that surveys cover two non-consecutive days and use the dietary record method for infants and children and the 24-hour recall method for adults. It is further recommended to use a food propensity questionnaire and that supplementary information, in particular on brand name, physical characteristics of the packaging, cooking procedures and other specific information, such as fortification should be collected. Detailed information on the use of nutritional supplements by respondents should also be covered as well as physical measures of the survey participants (weight and height) along with an estimate of their physical activity level.
© European Food Safety Authority, 2009
The availability of detailed and high quality food consumption data is essential to carry out many of EFSA’s mandates. The collection of accurate and harmonised food consumption data at European level is therefore a primary long-term objective for EFSA which has been recognised as a top priority for collaboration with the EU Member States.
Methodologies and procedures used in dietary surveys have mainly been developed with the aim of evaluating the nutritional status of a population i.e. the intake of energy, macronutrients and/or micronutrients. Specific recommendations are needed in order to make the food consumption data collected through these methods more suitable for exposure assessment within the risk assessment process.
The methods and protocols described in this Guideline are intended to be followed for harmonising results within a common pan-European dietary survey. The main objective of the present Guideline is to recommend methods and protocols for the collection of dietary information that can be used to perform risk assessments for biological agents and chemical substances considered by EFSA’s Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels.
The "Expert Group on Food Consumption Data" (EGFCD) through the Guideline stresses the importance of collecting accurate and harmonised food consumption data at the European level. It recommends that each national dietary survey should be conducted in two phases. One dietary survey phase includes children, divided into three age classes: infants, toddlers and other children. The other dietary survey phase includes all other subjects, with the exception of above the age of 75 years and older), again divided into three age classes: adolescents, adults and elderly. Pregnant women should be over-sampled and included in the same phase as the adults. A minimum of 1,000 subjects has to be included in each of the two dietary survey phases. A larger number of subjects is strongly recommended for the most populated EU Member States.
The dietary survey phase covering infants and children should be conducted using the dietary record method including two non-consecutive days and should, if possible, use EPIC-SOFT as a data entry system.
The dietary survey phase covering all other subjects (except those older than 75 years) should be conducted using the 24-hour recall method including two non-consecutive days. This is considered the most cost-effective method and the main arguments in favour of this choice are that 24-hour recall is less of a burden for the subjects and thus will increase the participation rate, and since it is independent of literacy rates in different parts of the population it can be better implemented.
The EGFCD advises to collect specific information on the frequency of consumption using a food propensity questionnaire (FPQ). It is further recommended that supplementary information, in particular on brand name, physical characteristics of the packaging, cooking procedures and other specific information, such as fortification, should be collected. Detailed information on the use of nutritional supplements by respondents should also be covered as well as physical measures of the survey participants (weight and height) and an estimate of their physical activity level.
In 2007, EFSA created the EGFCD, an EFSA network with representatives from each EU Member State. The Expert Group coordinates an effort to harmonise the collection and collation of data on food consumption and endorsed the views expressed in this Guideline.
Dietary survey, food consumption, dietary records, 24-hour recalls, portion size, data collection, nutrition, risk assessment, exposure assessment
