National Teen Food Survey

1. NATIONAL TEEN FOOD SURVEY
Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance
Summary Report

2. INTRODUCTION

3. This summary report describes the methods used and the main findings with regard
to food and beverage consumption, nutrient intakes and anthropometric, physical
activity and attitudinal data from the National Teen Food Consumption Survey
(NTFS). This survey investigated habitual food and beverage consumption, physical
activity, health & lifestyle characteristics and factors influencing food choice in a
representative sample of 13-17 year olds (n=441) in the Republic of Ireland. The
extensive electronic database which has been compiled from this survey has been
collated with data from the National Children’s Food Consumption Survey (NCFS) of
5-12 year olds (n=594) and is one of the most comprehensive of its type in Europe
providing the Irish food industry, regulatory authorities and policy makers with a
state of the art database for estimating intakes of foods, nutrients and food
chemicals in 5-17 year olds. It represents a very valuable resource which has many
applications including product development and promotion as well as for the
development and implementation of National and EU policy.

4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY
1. To establish in a representative sample of teenagers aged 13 to 17
years on the Republic of Ireland a database of:
habitual food and beverage consumption
height, weight, waist & hip circumferences
health and lifestyle characteristics
factors influencing food choice
socio-demographic characteristics
2. To apply this database to investigate:
food and nutrient intakes in relation to nutritional adequacy
and excess and compliance with current dietary guidelines
body weight, habitual physical activity levels, lifestyle and
socio-demographic characteristics, and attitudes in relation
to food and health
In addition the survey design and the database structure were selected
with a view to facilitate its use for a number of other key purposes,
including:
risk assessment for exposure to chemical and biological hazards in
the food supply
the development of quantitative and qualitative food based dietary
guidelines for healthy eating
estimation of current nutrient intakes, and modeling of potential
future nutrient intakes from fortified foods and nutritional
supplements
to provide scientific data to underpin food product development and
promotion

5. SAMPLING AND RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
& METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

6. SAMPLING AND RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
A sample of 441 teenagers aged 13-17 years (224 males, 217 females) were selected
from 32 secondary schools throughout the Republic of Ireland. Schools were selected
from a database of secondary schools available from the Department of Education and
Science. All schools in this database (n=722) were classified into secondary (56%),
vocational (31%) or comprehensive/community schools (13%). Schools were further
classified according to gender served (‘all boys’, ‘all girls’ or ‘mixed’), whether
disadvantaged or not disadvantaged and location (urban or rural). A number of schools
were randomly selected from each category.
An introductory letter and information about the survey was posted to the principal of
each selected school. This was followed up by a phone call from the coordinating
nutritionist in each centre. Over 95% of schools selected agreed to participate in the
survey. The school principal was given information packs to give to all students to bring
home to their parents/guardians. Information packs contained an introductory letter, an
information brochure and a reply slip. If the parent/guardian and the selected teenager
were interested in finding out more about participating in the survey they were
instructed to fill out their contact details on the reply slip and return it to the school and
a visit from one of the researchers was arranged.
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
Food intake was determined using a 7-day semi-weighed food record. The respondent
kept a diary of everything he/she ate and drank over a one-week period, recording the
time, location, cooking method and quantity of each item of food and drink consumed.
To ensure that the level of detail and accuracy of recording was kept at a consistently
high level, a researcher visited the respondent in their home four times during the
recording week. A comprehensive quantification protocol, which included a combination
of food quantification methods, was used to obtain the best estimates of food and drink
consumed. Each respondent was given a food scales and asked to weigh foods that they
commonly consumed during the week. A specially designed photographic food atlas was

7. used to assign weights to other foods. Respondents were encouraged to keep food
packaging to allow improved accuracy of the food and portion descriptions.
Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect information on parental
employment and education, social and demographic variables, lifestyle factors, habitual
physical activity levels, factors influencing food choice, supplement use and dieting
habits. The researcher carried out body measurements, including height, weight and
waist and hip circumferences.
Fieldwork was carried out from September 2005 to September 2006. Data collection was
seasonally balanced. The data were compiled into a fully integrated relational database,
meaning that each piece of data collected for each respondent is linked to that
respondent’s ID number. Quality control procedures were implemented throughout the
collection, processing and compilation of data.

8. FOOD CONSUMPTION

9. Mean and SD of food group intakes (g/day) in the total sample, percentage consumers of
food groups and mean and SD of food group intakes (g/day) in consumers only
Population ( n= 4 4 1 ) Consumers only
Mean SD % consumers Mean SD
1 Rice & Pasta, Flours, Grains & Starches 39 61 64 61 67
2 Savouries 47 51 76 62 50
3 White Breads & Rolls 63 43 96 66 42
4 Wholemeal & Brown Breads & Rolls 20 39 48 41 48
5 Other Breads 9 16 41 41 23
6 ‘Ready to Eat’ Breakfast Cereals 31 32 81 38 32
7 Other Breakfast Cereals 16 56 15 110 106
8 Biscuits 12 17 69 17 18
9 Cakes, Pastries & Buns 12 22 48 25 27
10 Wholemilk 206 232 82 253 232
11 Low fat, Skimmed & fortified foods 42 122 24 176 197
12 Other milks 9 33 12 79 61
13 Creams 1 2 11 5 4
14 Cheeses 11 17 62 18 18
15 Yoghurts 22 36 43 51 39
16 Icecreams 10 17 48 22 19
17 Puddings & Chilled Desserts 9 23 31 31 34
18 Milk Puddings 2 9 5 29 25
19 Eggs & Egg dishes 8 14 41 20 16
20 Butter 2 7 26 9 12
21 Low Fat Spreads 2 6 25 9 10
22 Other Spreading Fats 7 11 68 10 11
23 Oils 0 0 6 1 1
24 Hard Cooking Fats 0 0 0 0 0
25 Potatoes 70 63 83 84 60
26 Processed & Homemade Potato Products 7 16 24 27 23
27 Chipped, Fried & Roasted Potatoes 62 50 93 67 49
28 Vegetable & Pulse Dishes 7 18 26 26 28
29 Peas, beans & Lentils 16 23 55 29 24
30 Green Vegetables 8 13 41 19 14
31 Carrots 10 14 51 19 15

10. Mean SD % consumers Mean SD
32 Salad Vegetables 7 14 44 17 17
33 Other Vegetables 13 22 56 23 25
34 Tinned or Jarred Vegetables 1 3 8 10 7
35 Fruit Juices 86 116 62 140 120
36 Bananas 17 39 34 52 52
37 Other Fruits 36 78 56 64 94
38 Citrus Fruit 8 27 18 47 47
39 Tinned Fruit 1 7 6 17 23
40 Nuts, Seeds, Herbs & Spices 1 4 16 6 9
41 Fish & Fish products 9 15 37 23 17
42 Fish Dishes 2 11 3 48 41
43 Bacon & Ham 13 16 66 19 16
44 Beef & Veal 11 18 41 27 20
45 Lamb 3 11 15 22 18
46 Pork 5 10 24 21 12
47 Chicken, Turkey & game 25 28 71 35 27
48 Offal & Offal Dishes 0 0 0 0 0
49 Beef & Veal Dishes 30 44 52 57 46
50 Lamb, Pork, Bacon Dishes 4 17 10 43 32
51 Poultry & Game Dishes 19 31 36 52 31
52 Burgers ( Beef & Pork) 13 20 45 29 20
53 Sausages 10 13 57 17 13
54 Meat Pie & pastries 5 16 16 30 28
55 Meat Products 28 50 76 37 54
56 Alcoholic Beverages 9 71 5 172 278
57 Sugars, Syrups, Preserves & Sweeteners 8 12 66 12 14
58 Chocolate Confectionary 21 20 84 25 20
59 Non-chocolate Confectionary 11 18 66 17 19
60 Savoury snacks 13 14 75 17 14
61 Soups, Sauces & Miscellaneous Foods 43 45 91 47 45
63 Teas 110 189 54 203 218
64 Coffees 7 33 8 86 79
65 Other Beverages 418 388 92 455 384
66 Carbonated Beverages 185 189 82 225 186
67 Diet Carbonated Beverages 21 65 18 121 108
68 Squashes, Cordials & Fruit Juice Drinks 34 66 45 76 80

11. During the course of the survey, respondents recorded 1761 individual food items into the
7-day food diary. Each food was allocated to one of 68 food groups. The above tables
summarise some of the data from the report on the average food group intakes in the total
population and in consumers only.
Commonly consumed foods
Analysis still in progress

12. NUTRIENT INTAKES

13. Mean daily energy and macronutrient intakes and the % of energy from
macronutrients of males and females are presented below. Males had higher
intakes of energy and all macronutrients than females. Among both sexes, energy
intakes were higher in 15-17 year olds than 13-14 year olds.
Mean and SD of energy and macronutrients and the % of energy from macronutrients in
males and females aged 13 to 17 years
Total Population Males Females
(n=441) (n=224) (n=217)
Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
Energy (MJ) 8.3 2.4 9.5 2.4 7.1 1.9
Protein (g) 73.1 24.9 85.5 24.2 60.3 18.2
% Energy 14.8 2.6 15.2 2.5 14.3 2.6
Fat (g) 78.7 26.8 89.1 26.8 68.0 22.0
% Energy 35.6 5.0 35.4 5.2 35.8 4.8
CHO (g) 257.8 78.2 292.6 79.8 222.0 57.8
% Energy 49.0 5.1 48.7 5.4 49.3 4.8
Mean daily % Energy from macronutrients
Over half (females: 57%,
Protein
15% males: 54%) of teenagers
surveyed did not meet the
Carbohydrate recommendation for fat of
49%
total fat intake ≤ 35%
Fat
36% energy (Institute of
Medicine 2002)

14. Percentage contribution of food groups to energy
Five food groups contributed
Meat & meat 59% of energy intake in the
Other products
18% 16%
population overall, i.e. meat and
Beverages
5% meat products (16%), breads
Bread & rolls
Biscuits, cakes
& pastries
12% (12%), sugars, preserves,
5%
Breakfast cereals Sugars,
confectionery and savoury snacks
6% confectionery,
preserves & (12%), potatoes and potato
savouries
Grains, rice, 12%
pasta & products (10%) and milk and
savouries
7%
Milk & yoghurt Potatoes & yoghurt (9%), shown above.
9% potato products
10%
Percentage contribution of food groups to fat
The four main sources of fat in
the diet were meat and meat
Other
Meat & meat
products
products (22%), sugars,
22% 22%
preserves, confectionery and
savoury snacks (13%), milk and
Grains, rice, pasta
Sugars,
& savouries
confectionery, yoghurt (12%) and butter,
6%
preserves &
Biscuits, cakes savouries spreading fats and oils (9%),
& pastries 13%
6%
contributing between them
Potatoes & Milk & yoghurt
potato products 12% 56% of the fat content of the
10%
Butter,
spreading fats diet.
& oils
9%

15. Percentage contribution of food groups to carbohydrate
The four main sources of
carbohydrate in the diet were
Bread & rolls
18% breads (18%), sugars,
Other
28%
preserves, confectionery and
Sugars,
confectionery, savoury snacks (13%),
preserves &
savouries
13% potatoes and potato products
Grains, rice,
pasta & savouries
9%
(13%) and breakfast cereals
Potatoes & potato
products
13%
(10%), contributing 54% of
Beverages
9%
Breakfast
cereals
the total carbohydrate intake.
10%
Percentage contribution of food groups to protein
Sixty four percent of the
Other protein content of the diet was
24%
Meat & meat
products
provided by three food groups,
40%
Potatoes &
meat and meat products
potato products
5% (40%), milk and yoghurt
Grains, rice,
pasta & (12%) and breads (12%).
savouries
7%
Bread & rolls
12% Milk & yoghurt
12%

16. Mean and SD of daily intakes of micronutrients in the total population and for males and
females aged 13 to 17 years
Total Population Males Females
(n=441) (n=224) (n=217)
Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
Vitamins
Retinol (μg) 363 295 416 315 308 262
Carotene (μg) 2593 2393 2909 2751 2267 1909
Total Vitamin A (μg) 795 539 901 601 686 441
Vitamin D (μg) 2.7 2.4 3.0 2.6 2.3 2.2
Vitamin E (mg) 8.7 8.2 9.3 6.4 8.0 9.7
Thiamin (mg) 2.1 2.8 2.2 2.4 1.9 3.2
Riboflavin (mg) 2.3 2.8 2.6 2.5 2.0 3.1
Pre-formed Niacin (mg) 22.6 10.5 26.5 11.0 18.7 8.3
Total Niacin Equivalents (mg) 37.0 14.4 43.3 14.6 30.5 10.8
Vitamin B6 (mg) 2.8 2.8 3.1 2.5 2.5 3.1
Vitamin B12 (μg) 5.1 3.3 6.0 3.2 4.2 3.1
Folate (μg) 276 150 320 157 230 129
Biotin (μg) 32.0 37.9 37.9 38.6 25.9 36.2
Pantothenate (mg) 6.3 4.2 7.3 4.1 5.2 4.0
Vitamin C (mg) 95 94 98 87 92 100
Minerals
Calcium (mg) 906 406 1070 409 738 328
Magnesium (mg) 234 87 271 92 196 62
Phosphorous (mg) 1210 436 1413 430 1000 331
Iron (mg) 12.4 11.7 14.1 11.5 10.7 11.6
Copper (mg) 1.0 0.5 1.2 0.6 0.8 0.4
Zinc (mg) 8.7 3.7 10.2 3.7 7.2 3.1