Consumption of whole-grain foods by British adults: findings from further analysis of two national dietary surveys.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the consumption of whole-grain foods in different age and sociodemographic groups in Great Britain, using data from two national surveys.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of the consumption of whole-grain foods.


METHODS
The 1986-87 Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults and the 1994-95 National Diet and Nutrition Survey of people aged 65 years and over.


METHODS
In 1986-87, 2086 British adults aged 16-64 years; 1189 British adults aged 65 years and over in 1994-95.


RESULTS
In the 1986-87 survey population, consumption of whole-grain foods increased with age. Median consumption of whole-grain foods was 1 serving per week in 16-24-year-olds and 3 servings per week in the 35-64-year-olds In 1994-95, median consumption was 5 servings per week in adults aged 65 years and over. Overall, one-third of British adults ate no whole-grain foods on a daily basis, and less than 5% ate 3 or more servings per day. Manual occupation and smoking were consistently associated with a higher proportion of non-consumers and fewer servings per week of whole-grain foods, independent of age, sex, region and season (each ). The main sources of whole-grain foods were wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals, which accounted for more than three-quarters of all servings.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of whole-grain foods in the adult UK populations is more prevalent in the non-smoking, higher socio-economic groups. Amongst consumers of whole-grain foods, the frequency is similar to that reported in the USA and Norway.
Lang
Rebecca
R
MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, CB1 9NL, UK. beckie.lang@mrc-hnr.cam.ac.uk
Thane
Christopher W
CW
Bolton-Smith
Caroline
C
Jebb
Susan A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002523:Edible Grain; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom