Protocol of the Belgian food consumption survey 2014: objectives, design and methods

Abstract

BackgroundDietary patterns are one of the major determinants as far as health and burden of disease is concerned. Food consumption data are essential to evaluate and develop nutrition and food safety policies. The last national food consumption survey in Belgium took place in 2004 among the Belgian population aged 15 years and older. Since dietary habits are prone to change over time a new Belgian National Food Consumption Survey (BNFCS2014) was conducted in 2014–2015.MethodsThe BNFCS2014 is a cross-sectional study. A representative sample (n = 3200) of the Belgian population aged 3 to 64 years old was randomly selected from the National Population Register following a multistage stratified sampling procedure. Data collection was divided equally over the four seasons and days of the week in order to incorporate seasonal effects and day-to-day variation in food intake. Information on food intake was collected in adults with two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls (using the GloboDiet® software). In children food intake was collected with two non-consecutive one-day food diaries followed by a completion interview with GloboDiet. Additional data on socio-demographic characteristics, eating habits, lifestyle, food safety (at household level), physical activity and sedentary behaviour were collected with a face-to-face questionnaire using a computer-assisted personal interviewing technique. In the time between the two visits, participants were asked to complete a self-administered food frequency questionnaire and health questionnaire. Height, weight and waist circumference were measured. In addition, children and adolescents were asked to wear an accelerometer and keep a logbook for seven consecutive days to objectively measure physical activity and sedentary behaviour.ConclusionThe main objective of the BNFCS2014 is to evaluate the habitual food, energy and nutrient intake in the Belgian population and to compare these with recommendations from the national dietary guidelines. A second objective is to monitor eating habits and food safety aspects of the food consumption in Belgium. The results of this dietary monitoring survey, together with the information on the level of physical activity, may underpin future nutrition, food safety and physical activity policies at national and European level.

Intake of Fat-Soluble Vitamins in the Belgian Population: Adequacy and Contribution of Foods, Fortified Foods and Supplements

“…Higher vitamin D intake levels from food are found in Scandinavian countries were oil-rich fish and milk are more frequently consumed [ 4 ]. Our results for vitamin D intake from foods and fortified foods in young children (3–6 years) were somewhat higher, but in the same order as the results of the Flemish preschoolers [ 18 ].…”

“…One study evaluated the intake of micronutrients in Flemish preschool children (2.5–6.5 years). Unfortunately analyses of fat-soluble vitamins were confined to vitamin D, and dietary supplements were hereby not taken into account [ 18 ]. Nevertheless, in the review study of Mensink et al, raw data from eight countries were uniformly re-analyzed to evaluate inadequacies of micronutrients in Europe.…”

Results From Belgium’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

“…The Belgian FCS 2014-2015 (n = 488 for children 3 to 5 years; n = 575 for children 6 to 9 years; n = 964 for adolescents 10 to 17 years) conducted by WIV-ISP (Wetenschappelijk Instituut Volksgezondheid / Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique) was selected as primary data source given its assessment of a wide range of health behaviors and health outcomes in a representative sample of Belgian children and youth. 10 Furthermore, in addition to self-reported data collected by interview during house visits, the FCS collects objectively measured data on PA and anthropometric characteristics. 11,12 PA levels were defined using the cut points proposed by Evenson et al 20,21 [ie, ≤ 100 counts per minute (cpm) for sedentary time, 101 to 2295 cpm for light PA, 2296 to 4011 cpm for moderate PA, and ≥ 4012 cpm for vigorous PA].…”

“…Second, our main data source, the FCS 2014-2015, provided us with nationally representative, recently collected, standardized data from across the country. 10 Moreover, our grade on Overall PA is based on objectively measured PA as derived by accelerometry, generally considered the 'gold-standard' for free-living PA measurement. 40 A limitation is that incomplete grades were assigned to the indicators Dietary Behaviors, Family and Peers, and Community and the Built Environment.…”

“…9 In Belgium, surveillance of PA, related health behaviors, and health outcomes is being performed at the national level by the Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP). [10][11][12] In contrast, surveillance of individual, social, and environmental influences on these behaviors and health outcomes is mainly performed on a regional level and by different organizations. Following the examples of other international Report Cards, in particular the Canadian Physical Activity Report Card, 13 the current Physical Activity Report Card presents a systematic evaluation of PA and its influences with the ultimate aim of improving PA levels of Belgian children and youth.…”