title: Sex-based differences in food consumption: Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Population Survey, 2006-2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This analysis used data from the most recent Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Population Survey (May 2006 through April 2007) to examine differences in the consumption of various types of foods between men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were surveyed by telephone and asked whether or not they had consumed certain foods in the past 7 days, including the following "high-risk" foods commonly associated with foodborne illness: pink hamburger, raw oysters, unpasteurized milk, cheese made from unpasteurized milk, runny eggs, and alfalfa sprouts. Data were weighted to adjust for survey design and to reflect the age and sex distribution of the population under FoodNet surveillance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 14 878 persons ≥ 18 years were interviewed, of whom 5688 (38%) were men. A higher proportion of men reported eating meat and certain types of poultry than women, whereas a higher proportion of women ate fruits and vegetables. A higher proportion of men than women reported consuming runny eggs (12% versus 8%), pink hamburger (7% versus 4%), and raw oysters (2% versus 0.4%). A higher proportion of women than men ate alfalfa sprouts (3% versus 2%). No differences by sex were observed for consumption of unpasteurized milk or cheese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from the FoodNet Population Surveys can be useful in efforts to design targeted interventions regarding consumption of high-risk foods. Moreover, understanding the background rates of food consumption, stratified by sex, may help investigators identify the kinds of foods likely to be associated with outbreaks in which a preponderance of cases occur among members of one sex.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Public Health Division, Office of Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, Portland, OR 97232, USA. beletshachew.shiferaw@state.or.us
authors.forename: Beletshachew
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shiferaw
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verrill
authors.forename: Hillary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.forename: Shelley M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zansky
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crim
authors.forename: Olga L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Henao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult