title: Intakes of whole grain in an Italian sample of children, adolescents and adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is wide evidence that regular consumption of whole grain foods may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The aim of this work was to quantify the intake of whole grains and identify main dietary sources in the Italian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole grain intakes were calculated in a sample of 2830 adults/older adults and of 440 children/adolescents from the last national survey INRAN-SCAI 2005-06. Food consumption was assessed from a 3-day food record. The whole grain content of foods was estimated mainly from quantitative ingredient declarations on labels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean whole grain intakes were 3.7 g/day in adults/older adults and 2.1 g/day in children/adolescents. Overall, 23 % of the sample reported consumption of whole grain foods during the survey, among which mean whole grain intakes ranged from 6.0 g/day in female children to 19.1 g/day in female older adults. The main sources of whole grains were breakfast cereals in children/adolescents (32 %) and bread in adults/older adults (46 %). Consumption of whole grain among adults was associated with significantly higher daily intakes and adequacy of dietary fibre, several vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6) and minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium) compared to non-consumption. Among children, whole grain intake was associated with significantly higher intakes of iron and magnesium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reveals very low whole grain intakes across all age groups of the Italian population. Considering the positive association in consumers between whole grain intakes and fibre and micro-nutrient intakes, public health strategies to increase whole grain consumption should be considered.
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy. stefania.sette@entecra.it.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sette
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Addezio
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Piccinelli
authors.affiliation: Cereal Partners Worldwide, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sinead
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Le Donne
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mistura
authors.affiliation: CREA - Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria - Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turrini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001939:Bread; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002523:Edible Grain; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000067348:Whole Grains
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins
keywords: Diet quality; Food source; Nutrients; Whole grain