Food consumption, its aspects and consequences

Abstract

Food consumption recording is a social need because the consumption is an indicator of the nutrition status that means the health status, of the population, and an economic factor. Food consumption trends in the nineties are characterized by a steep fall of most kinds of foods, mainly from animal sources. It is not necessary to adjust this fact with respect to recent data of the time series. Four commodities show a positive increase. The trend of food consumption is bound up with more slowly increasing incomes of the population than was the increase in food prices after their liberalization. The consequences of consumption trends do not imply any deterioration of nutrition status because nutrition requirements have been met except calcium and vitamin A supply due to a decrease in milk consumption, and except vitamin C, still a deficient element although its supply has substantially increased. A systematic attention should be focused on the population nutrition through nutrition and food policies.

Nutrition economics - important source of information

“…The described development is of course very narrowly connected with the meaningful raise of the food prices. We could prove a high statistic correlation, especially for milk and meat (Hrubý 2000b). An important correction factor for the estimates of the future development are the international comparisons (Hrubý 1989b): They were also applied at the construction of the RFA.…”

“…We meet with similar proposals earlier Los (1964), Norway had its official document (19751976). We also elaborated this subject (Hrubý 1964(Hrubý , 1979(Hrubý , 1983a and we came to the term used here. Even when our present situation is not too favourable for the establishment of the NFP, it is the question of the near or remote future.…”

“…We have a higher consumption of food of the vegetable origin which contributes to the energy cereals, potatoes, sugar. A special position have pulses, where the data of the FAO for the Czech Republic are undoubtedly, as we have drawn attention to already (Hrubý 2000b), exaggerated. On the contrary, the consumption of other vegetable foods is lower.…”