To examine the contribution of genetic factors to food choice, we determined dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaires in 3262 UK female twins aged 18 to 79 years. Five distinct dietary patterns were identified (fruit and vegetable, high alcohol, traditional English, dieting, low meat) that accounted for 22% of the total variance. These patterns are similar to those found in other singleton Western populations, and were related to body mass index, smoking status, physical activity and deprivation scores. Older subjects had higher scores on the fruit and vegetable and traditional English patterns, while lower social deprivation was associated with higher scores for fruit and vegetable, and lower scores for traditional English patterns. All 5 patterns were heritable, with estimates ranging from 41% to 48%. Among individual dietary components, a strongly heritable component was identified for garlic (46%), coffee (41%), fruit and vegetable sources (49%), and red meat (39%). Our results indicate that genetic factors have an important influence in determining food choice and dietary habits in Western populations. The relatively high heritability of specific dietary components implicates taste perception as a possible target for future genetic studies.

There was no overall significant difference between C282Y heterozygotes and wild-type men in iron absorption from either dietary nonheme iron or fortified cereal products.

A computer-based dietary assessment tool, the meal-based intake assessment tool (MBIAT), is described. In the current study, dietary intakes of Fe and Zn fractions (total Fe, non-haem Fe, haem Fe, meat Fe, total Zn) and dietary components that influence Fe and Zn absorption (vitamin C, phytate, Ca, grams of meat/fish/poultry, black tea equivalents, phytate:Zn molar ratio) were assessed. The relative validity of the MBIAT was determined in forty-eight UK men aged 40 years and over by comparing its results with those from weighed diet records collected over 12 d. There was good agreement between the MBIAT and the weighed diet records for median intakes of total, non-haem, haem and meat Fe, Zn, vitamin C, phytate, grams of meat/fish/poultry and phytate:Zn molar ratio. Correlations between the two methods ranged from 0·32 (for Ca) to 0·80 (for haem Fe), with 0·76 for total Fe and 0·75 for Zn. The percentage of participants classified by the MBIAT into the same/opposite weighed diet record quartiles ranged from 56/0 for Fe and 60/0 for Zn to 33/10 for Ca. The questionnaire also showed an acceptable level of agreement between repeat administrations (e.g. a correlation for total Fe of 0·74). In conclusion, the MBIAT is appropriate for assessing group dietary intakes of total Fe and Zn and their absorption modifiers in UK men aged 40 years and over. Iron: Zinc: Dietary intake: Dietary assessmentThe three 'classic' methods for assessing dietary intake over a period of time -diet record, diet history and food-frequency questionnaire -all pose problems when used as research tools in a population setting. The diet record has a high respondent burden and requires considerable resources to administer and analyse. The diet history, in its traditional form, requires a skilled interviewer and gives qualitative rather than quantitative dietary information. The food-frequency questionnaire requires considerable cognitive skills on the part of the respondent, who must recall multiple situations in which a particular food is eaten and convert these to the frequencies with which individual foods are consumed. The food-frequency questionnaire must also use a limited food list to make it possible for the participant to respond to frequency questions on each food in the questionnaire.The computerised meal-based intake assessment tool (MBIAT) described in the present paper was designed to generate quantitative dietary data while incurring a considerably lower respondent burden than a diet record, as well as to collect information on habitual dietary intake by meal rather than by food, so that participants were able to report their food intake as they recalled it, the burden of calculation being borne by the researcher. The tool allows participants access to a food list that is as limited or as extensive as the researcher chooses.The version of the MBIAT tested in this paper used a food list designed to investigate the dietary intake of Fe and Zn and their absorption modifiers in UK men aged 40 years and over. These nutrients were chosen ...

Blood loss was a stronger predictor of iron status than either C282Y heterozygosity or diet in this population of men aged 40 years and over.