[Trend of seasonal change on intake of nutrients in a year of the residents in both northern and southern China].
OBJECTIVE
To study the change of intake of nutrients in a year, and determine whether there is any change of intake of nutrition according to different seasons of the people in both northern and southern China.


METHODS
The method of 24-hour diet history recall was used to study about 300 healthy adults in three areas, a rural area in the northern and rural plus urban areas in the southern. The study was carried out once per two month, and each time last 3 days. Based on the amount of food intake, the amount of both nutrition and energy per person and per day was calculated.


RESULTS
The amount of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat intake of the residents in three areas was adequate. There was almost no significant difference of intake of energy and three major nutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrate) both in the southern and northern part of China among different seasons, as well as the seasonal intake of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, niacin, and zinc. While the difference of intake of retinol (microg RE), ascorbic acid, potassium and calcium were significant among different seasons.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that, in rural areas, any dietary survey should avoid January and July, which is either slack or busy season for farmers. In urban areas, any time of a year should not influence the results of a dietary survey.
He
Li
L
Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Zhao
Wenhua
W
Zhang
Xin
X
You
Yue
Y
Chen
Junshi
J
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population