Food habits of Canadians: Reduction in fat intake over a generation

Purpose: A national survey of adult Canadians (n=1,544) was recently undertaken (1997-1998) to monitor whether changes in dietary intake have occurred since the last Canadian dietary survey, conducted a generation ago Methods: Individuals from randomly selected households from a stratified sample of 80 enumeration areas from five regions of Canada were wed by a dietitian at home for a 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire. Results: The mean dietary % energy from protein (16-18%), carbohydrate (50-56%) and fat (29-31%) was close to recommended levels in the different age-sex groups. Fat intake was reduced from previous surveys. Intakes of dairy products and fruits and vegetables are lower than recommended. Nutrient values at the 25th percentile of the nutrient distribution, were below recommended levels for calcium, folate,: iron and zinc among women. Conclusion: Despite the growing problem of obesity, Canadians are eating less fat than a generation ago but intake of certain nutrients are still suboptimal.