title: A Review of Dietary Surveys in the Adult South African Population from 2000 to 2015.
abstract: One serious concern of health policymakers in South Africa is the fact that there is no national data on the dietary intake of adult South Africans. The only national dietary study was done in children in 1999. Hence, it becomes difficult to plan intervention and strategies to combat malnutrition without national data on adults. The current review consequently assessed all dietary studies in adults from 2000 to June 2015 in an attempt to portray typical adult dietary intakes and to assess possible dietary deficiencies. Notable findings were that, in South Africa micronutrient deficiencies are still highly prevalent and energy intakes varied between very low intakes in informal settlements to very high intakes in urban centers. The most commonly deficient food groups observed are fruit and vegetables, and dairy. This has been attributed to high prices and lack of availability of these food groups in poorer urban areas and townships. In rural areas, access to healthy foods also remains a problem. A national nutrition monitoring system is recommended in order to identify dietary deficiencies in specific population groups.
authors.affiliation: Population Health, Health Systems and Innovation of the Human Sciences Research Council (PHHSI) of South Africa, 12th Floor, Plein Park Building, 69-83 Plein Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa. zmchiza@hsrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Zandile J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Mchiza
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, University of Cape Town (UCT), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa. nelia.steyn@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: Nelia P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Steyn
authors.affiliation: Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, Medical Research Council (NCDRU) of South Africa, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parrow Valley, Cape Town 7505, South Africa. jillian.hill@mrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Jillian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. Annamarie.Kruger@nwu.ac.za.|Medical Research Council Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. Annamarie.Kruger@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Annamarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. Hettie.schonfeldt@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Hettie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schönfeldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Logistics, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa. jhnel@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. edelweiss.wentzel-viljoen@nwu.ac.za.|Centre for Excellence in Nutrition (CEN), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa. edelweiss.wentzel-viljoen@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Edelweiss
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wentzel-Viljoen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: South Africans; dietary diversity; food consumption; food intake; macronutrients; micronutrients