Objectives: To examine the contribution of the food service sector to the nutrient quality of the Irish diet, and to compare intakes at home, work and outside the home ('out') and within the subgroups of the out location (pub, deli, takeaway). Design and setting: Random sample of adults from the Republic of Ireland. Food intake data were collected using a 7-day food diary. Respondents recorded the location of every eating occasion determined by where the food was prepared rather than consumed. Results: Intakes of energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate were significantly greater at home than at work or out (P , 0.05). The intake of alcohol was significantly (P , 0.001) greater out than at home or work. The percentage contribution of fat to energy was above the recommendations (33% of total energy and 35% of food energy) for both men and women at all locations, with the exception of the contribution of fat to total energy for men at the out location. Within the subgroups of the out location, the contribution of alcohol to total energy was greatest in pubs and the contribution of fat to both total and food energy was greatest in takeaways. Intakes of fibre and most micronutrients per 10 MJ of food energy were greater (P , 0.05) at home than at work or out. Conclusion: Foods eaten outside the home contribute a disproportionately high level of fat intake and should be targeted in public health nutrition strategies.

Objective: To evaluate habitual levels of physical activity in a nationally representative sample of adults in Ireland. Design: Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire. Usual levels of work, recreational and household activities were evaluated in relation to anthropometric, demographic and socio-economic characteristics. The amount and intensity of all activities were quantified by assigning metabolic equivalents (METS) to each activity. Setting: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 1997Ireland, -1999. Subjects: Random sample of 1379 adults aged 18-64 years. Results: Men were approximately twice as active in work and recreational activity (139.7 ± 83-9 METS) as women (68.5 ± 49-8 METS; P < 0.001), but women were three times more active in household tasks (65-9 ± 58.7 METS vs. 22.6 ± 24.6 METS; P < 0.001). Overall levels of physical activity declined with increasing age, particularly leisure activity in men. In women the decline in work activity was offset by spending more time in household pursuits. Twenty-five per cent of the subjects were extremely overweight (body mass index (BMI) > 28kgm~2) or obese (BMI > 30kgm~2). Fewer obese subjects reported higher levels of work and leisure activities. However, a higher percentage of obese women reported participation in the higher levels of household activities. Participation rates in recreational activities were low. Walking was the most important leisure activity of both men (41%) and women (60%). In terms of hours per week spent in vigorous physical activity, men were more active than women, professional and skilled non-manual women were more active than women in other social classes, and younger subjects (aged 18-35 years) were more active than older subjects. Conclusions: The holistic approach used in the assessment of physical activity in this study has revealed important and subtle differences in the activity patterns of men and women. Failure to fully characterise the respective activity patterns of men and women could lead to ill-informed public health policy aimed at promoting and sustaining lifetime habits of physical activity. The results suggest that simple population-focused programmes to promote physical activity are unlikely to offer the same chance of long-term success as more sensitive and individualised strategies. Keywords Physical activity patternsOverweight Obesity Ireland Social doss Cross-sectional survey During the course of the last century, changes in lifestyle have had a profound impact on patterns of energy expenditure and physical activity in affluent countries. Increased mechanisation in the workplace has markedly reduced the need for moderate and high intensity activity. In the home, the energy cost of housework has also been minimised while television viewing and related pursuits now monopolise much of the available leisure time of a significant proportion of the population. As a result, predominantly sedentary populations can survive with minimal exertion and can achieve energy equilibrium at a leve...

Objective: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children using four different weight-for-height methods and to examine secular trends from previous national data. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Weight and height were measured according to standard procedures and used to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity using four weight-for-height methods of assessment, actual relative weight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index (BMI) for age charts for boys and girls, the BMI reference curves for the UK 1990 and the International Obesity Task Force age-and sex-specific BMI cutoffs. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish children is high, but varies considerably with each method. The prevalence of obesity in boys ranged from 4.1 to 11.2 % and in girls from 9.3 to 16.3%. Between 1990 and 2005, depending on the method used, there was a two-to-fourfold increase in obesity in children aged 8-12 years. Conclusion: It is evident given the variation displayed in the prevalence of obesity when using the different methods, that there is a discernible need for a single definition to identify the obese child in Ireland. The findings show a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Irish school children and the increase in the prevalence of obesity over the last 15 years highlights this growing public health issue.

Objectives: To examine the influence of eating location on the quality of the diets of Irish children and to compare intakes at home with intakes at other people's homes and intakes outside the home, and to compare intakes at various locations outside the home. Design: Food intake was measured using a 7-day weighed diary in 594 children from the Republic of Ireland (aged 5-12 years). Details of where the food was prepared or obtained were also recorded. Results: Eighty-nine per cent of all eating occasions occurred at home; , 6% occurred at both other people's homes and outside the home (takeaway, restaurant, shop, other). The percentage of food energy from fat was above the recommended 35% at other people's homes and outside the home, specifically at takeaways and restaurants. Fibre and micronutrient intakes (per 10 MJ) were significantly higher at home than at the other locations (P , 0.05). Within the 'out' locations, fibre and micronutrient intakes were generally higher at restaurants and lower at shops. High consumers of foods outside the home had a statistically significant, but relatively small decline in nutrient intakes compared with non-or low consumers. Chips and processed potatoes, meat products, savouries, sugars and confectionery, and savoury snacks made the greatest contribution to foods consumed outside the home. Conclusions: The main focus of nutrition policies to improve the diets of Irish children should be the home environment rather than the food service sector. However, guidelines could call for better food choices outside the home to improve nutrient intakes.

Objectives: To examine the temporal pattern of the number of eating occasions that occurred at home, at work and outside the home, and to examine the contribution of fat to energy and the contribution of 26 food groups to fat at home and outside the home. Design and setting: Food intake data were collected using a 7-day food diary from a random sample of 18 -64-year-old adults from the Republic of Ireland (n ¼ 958). Respondents recorded the day, time and location of every eating occasion. Results: The number of eating occasions was constant across the days of the week for meals consumed at home, whereas the number of eating occasions increased at weekends for meals outside the home. The contribution of fat to energy approximated the 35% recommendation at home from Monday to Friday, but increased above this on Saturday and Sunday. The contribution of fat to energy outside the home was always above the recommendation. The food groups that contributed most to fat were similar at home and outside the home. These included butter and full-fat spreads, fresh meat, meat products, meat dishes, biscuits, cakes and pastries, whole milk, and chips and processed potatoes. Conclusion: The contribution of fat to energy was above the recommendations when eating outside the home, regardless of day of the week. A number of food groups have been identified that contributed most to fat intake outside the home and these might be targeted in developing public health nutrition strategies to reduce fat intake.