Food and nutritional data for a population from northern France: the Fleurbaix Laventie Ville Santé (FLVS) Study

Abstract

Background: This paper describes nutritional characteristics and eating habits of the participants of the Fleurbaix Laventie Ville Santé study.

Methods: One-day dietary records for children (under 14 years of age) and three-day records for adolescents and adults provided nutritional data for 2,364 people between the ages of 2 and 70.

Results: Daily energy intake increased up to the age of 18 (9038 +/- 2620 kJ in women and 11,659 +/- 2146 kJ in men) and decreased thereafter. In parallel, the contribution of fat and protein to energy intake increased with age (respectively 42% and 18% in people older than 40) whereas the contribution of carbohydrates decreased (40% in people older than 40). The daily distribution of energy intake indicated increased contributions of lunch and dinner with age, and decreased contributions of breakfast and of afternoon snacks. Consumption of potatoes and processed meat far exceeded that of fruit, bread and fish. In comparison to recommended intakes and to other French nutritional studies, total energy intake in our study was similar, whatever the sex and age range. In contrast, the contribution of fat and protein to energy intake was always higher while that of carbohydrates was lower. This was especially true for the adults.

Conclusions: These differences cannot be entirely explained by the differences in methodologies used and are undoubtedly due to the regional eating habits in the area studied.