Betty B. Peterkin

Nutritional adequacy of diets of low-income households

Abstract This survey of 4,408 households eligible for the Food Stamp Program revealed that 69% of the households had food costs of more than 10% over the maximum allotment level. In general, greater food cost was associated with higher nutritional quality of diets; but even among households with costs of more than twice the Food Stamp allotment on food, approximately 10% of the household diets failed to provide 100% of the RDA for 11 key nutrients. Of 627 households with costs near the allotment, 12% used food that provided the RDA for all 11 nutrients studied, and 34% used food that provided at least 80% of all 11 RDA. Households with costs near the allotment that met the 80% RDA criteria, compared with those that did not, used more of each food dollar for milk, eggs, and dry legumes, vegetables, fruit, and grain products and less for meat, poultry, and fish; soft drinks; and alcoholic beverages.

Women's diets: 1977 and 1985

Abstract This article compares the diets of 1,503 women 19–50 years of age reported in spring 1985 in the U.S. Department of Agricultures Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals with diets of women of the same ages reported in the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, spring 1977. As in 1977, diets in 1985 failed to provide the recommended levels of several nutrients—calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B-6, and folacin. In womens diets reported in 1985, fat provided 37% of energy—down from 41% in diets reported in 1977. Conversely, carbohydrate provided 46% of energy in diets reported in 1985—up from 41% in 1977. Improved interviewing techniques and food composition data used in the 1985 survey may be responsible for some of the differences in nutrient intakes in the 1977 and 1985 surveys. Intakes of fatty acids, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and sodium were estimated in 1985 but not in 1977. This article presents cursory descriptive information about womens mean intakes of food and nutrients. In future studies statistical procedures will be used to identify socioeconomic and other factors associated with dietary adequacy in 1985 and with change since 1977.

Diets that meet the dietary goals

Summary The Dietary Goals proposed by the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs in February 1977 have been translated into diets by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff. Diets for men, women, children, and the population as a whole were derived by modifying food consumption patterns as necessary to meet the Goals. Alternate suggestions about food selection are made to demonstrate their different impacts on diets. Dietary changes required to meet the Goals generally included the use of more grain products, vegetables, fruits, and legumes and less sugar, meat, and eggs. This analysis of the Goals provides the USDA and others with information to help appraise the Goals for their sociological and economic, as well as their physiological, implications. The analysis is intended neither to endorse nor discredit the Goals. At this time USDA recommends neither for nor against the use of the diets presented.

Food Energy and Nutrients Per Dollar's Worth of Food From Available Home Food Supplies

Data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, 1977–78, were used to assess effects of household size and composition, household income, and eli gibility/participation in the Food Stamp Program (FSP) on the food energy and nutrients per dollars worth of food from the household food supply during one week. Mean food energy, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin A per food dollar were calculated for selected sample partitions. Household size, in come, FSP participation, and other socioeconomic variables were regressed on food energy and nutrients per food dollar. Results indicated that household size had a statistically significant and positive impact on nutrients per dollars worth of food except for vitamin A. Household income had a statistically significant and negative impact on nutrients per food dollar. Households that participated in the FSP had greater food energy and nutrient return per dollar than households eligible but not participating in the FSP. However, these differences for FSP par ticipation were statistically significant only for calcium.

Recommended dietary allowances as standards for family food plans

Abstract The United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) 1977–78 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey included low-income households. Large proportions of this population had intakes that failed to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for vitamin A, vitamin B-6, calcium, magnesium, and iron. To examine dietary changes required to meet the RDA, we used a computer programmed with a mathematical model that plans diets based on reported consumption patterns. Consumption patterns of children one to two years old, teenage girls, and women required the greatest changes to meet the RDA. Compared to diets in consumption patterns, the diets planned for these categories included large quantities of red meats, breakfast cereals, and legumes and small quantities of fats and sweets. We had particular difficulty meeting the RDA for vitamin E, vitamin B-6, folacin, calcium, iron, and zinc. Based on our findings from this and earlier studies of households at all income levels, we present the adaptations to the RDA that we are using to revise the USDA family food plans.

Food Usage Patterns As Related To Nutritional Quality Of Household Food Supplies

Nationwide Food Consumption Survey 1977–78 data were used to study the food obtainment patterns and the nutritional quality of diets of households with di etary component returns per dollar of food above and below average. Higher nutrient return per food dollar was more likely for households of larger size and/or lower income levels. Households with greater nutrient return per food dollar allocated higher proportions of their food dollars to cereal, rice and pasta; milk and cheese; eggs, beans and nuts; and fats and oils. These households allocated smaller proportions of their food dollars to high-cost meats and beverages. Fur ther, within most food groups (particularly milk and cheese and vegetables), households with higher nutrient return per food dollar obtained food items at lower cost with greater nutrient content. Although households with high nutrient return per food dollar had, in general, lower average total food costs, the nutri tional quality of their home food supplies was generally as high or higher than for low nutrient return households.

The RDA or U.S. RDA

Many nutrition educators want to know which allowances, the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) or the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (U.S. RDAs), they should use. The RDAs have been used for several decades to plan and evaluate diets, to develop guides for food selection and to teach about nutritional needs throughout the life cycle. Since the nutrition labeling program was initiated in 1972, the U.S. RDAs have appeared on food labels and been described in publications for consumers and nutrition educators. A review of information about what these two standards are and how and why they were developed is given here as background for determining their appropriate uses.