A Sustainable and Global Health Perspective of the Dietary Pattern of French Population during the 1998–2015 Period from INCA Surveys

Abstract

In France, the evolution of dietary pattern relative to sustainability and global health remains insufficiently studied. The objective of this study was to assess dietary changes during 1998–2015 through three generic metrics potentially related to sustainability. Food consumption data were collected from three French National Individual Study of Food Consumption surveys (INCA) for children (0–17 years) and adults (18–79 years) representative of the French population. The consumed foods were converted into plant (metric 1) and non-ultra-processed (UPF, metric 2) calories, and analyzed in meeting dietary recommended intakes (metric 3). French children and adults consumed high levels of animal and UPF calories, and nutrient deficiencies were observed in adults from the 2015 survey, e.g., fiber, EPA, DHA, magnesium, retinol, and vitamin C. In children, UPF daily calories increased from 42.8 to 45.5% and decreased in adults from 39.2 to 35.0%. In children and adults, diet revegetation was observed. While the level of physical activity decreased, overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes prevalence increased in French adults. The French dietary pattern is not sustainable for global health unless public health policy is reinforced, with at least a twofold decrease in animal and UPF calories and improved food diversity.