Longitudinal changes in nutrient intakes in the Melbourne Chinese Cohort Study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess longitudinal changes in the consumption of nutrients and the impact of socio-economic factors on diet transition in the Melbourne Chinese Health Study (MCHS) cohort.


METHODS
Longitudinal study including two phases: baseline (1989/90) and follow-up (1995/97).


METHODS
Melbourne metropolitan areas in Victoria, Australia. STUDY SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Two hundred and sixty-two Chinese men and women aged 25 years and over, recruited at baseline, who had completed the both baseline and follow-up food-frequency questionnaires.


RESULTS
Women increased their daily intakes of energy (+549 kJ), protein (+7.8 g), fat (+7.3 g) and dietary fibre (+5.6 g) whereas men decreased their daily consumption of carbohydrate (-38.5 g) over an average period of 8 years. Energy contributions from protein and fat rose while that from carbohydrate dropped for all cohort subjects. Increased intakes of riboflavin, beta-carotene and iron were observed in men, while an increased consumption of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and minerals (except sodium) was observed in women. Socio-economic factors such as education, family income levels and occupational categories appeared to have a far more powerful influence on changes in individual daily nutrient intakes than age or length of stay in Australia. Changes in nutrient intake in women were less affected by sociodemographic variables.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed changes in nutrient intakes indicated a progressive approach towards the Australian Recommended Dietary Intakes within this Chinese cohort population.
Zhang
Hua
H
Primary Health Branch, Department of Human Services Victoria, Melbourne 3000, Australia. hua.zhang@dhs.vic.gov.au
Hsu-Hage
Bridget H-H
BH
Wahlqvist
Mark L
ML
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044466:Asian People; D001315:Australia; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins