Food consumption of Sri Lankan adults: an appraisal of serving characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
The main aim of the present study was to identify food consumption in Sri Lankan adults based on serving characteristics.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study. Fruits, vegetables, starch, meat, pulses, dairy products and added sugars in the diet were assessed with portion sizes estimated using standard methods.


METHODS
Twelve randomly selected clusters from the Sri Lanka Diabetes and Cardiovascular Study.


METHODS
Six hundred non-institutionalized adults.


RESULTS
The daily intake of fruit (0·43), vegetable (1·73) and dairy (0·39) portions were well below national recommendations. Only 3·5 % of adults consumed the recommended 5 portions of fruits and vegetables/d; over a third of the population consumed no dairy products and fewer than 1 % of adults consumed 2 portions/d. In contrast, Sri Lankan adults consumed over 14 portions of starch and 3·5 portions of added sugars daily. Almost 70 % of those studied exceeded the upper limit of the recommendations for starch intake. The total daily number of meat and pulse portions was 2·78.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary guidelines emphasize the importance of a balanced and varied diet; however, a substantial proportion of the Sri Lankan population studied failed to achieve such a recommendation. Nutrition-related diseases in the country may be closely correlated with unhealthy eating habits.
Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia. ranil7@gmail.com
Ranil
R
Jayawardena
Nuala M
NM
Byrne
Mario J
MJ
Soares
Prasad
P
Katulanda
Andrew P
AP
Hills
D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D002523:Edible Grain; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D013188:Sri Lanka; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D019422:Dietary Sucrose