Croatian national food consumption survey on adolescents and adults from 10 to 99 years of age

The National food consumption survey on adolescents and adults from 10 to 99 years of age was conducted in the period from January 2018 to June 2023. Following the EU Menu methodology developed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), this survey aimed to facilitate cross‐country comparisons on dietary habits. The survey encompassed all seasons and days of the week to provide insight into the diverse patterns of food consumption. Alongside dietary data, information concerning socioeconomic factors, health status, physical activity, and food supplement usage was collected. Trained interviewers conducted the fieldwork using 24–hour recall and food diaries to record dietary intake. Data gathering and analysis were conducted using NutriCro® software. Before the main data collection, a pilot study conducted from October to November 2021 confirmed the feasibility of the data collection methodology. The study involved a nationally representative sample of 1913 participants (261 adolescents, 783 adults up to 65 years of age, and 522 individuals from 65 to 74 years of age (elderly) and 260 individuals aged 75 to 99 years (very elderly). The overall participation rate was 24.8%. The collected data offer valuable insights into the dietary habits of the studied population groups, serving as a crucial resource in various analyses, especially contributing to national food safety initiatives.