Individual dietary data for the same three consecutive days were recorded for all household members, regardless of age or relationship to the household head. This was achieved by asking each individual, except children aged younger than 12, on a daily basis to report all food consumed at home and away from home in a 24-hour recall. For children younger than 12, the mother or a mother substitute who handled food preparation and feeding in the household was asked to recall the children’s food consumption. Using food models and picture aids, trained field interviewers recorded the type of food, amount, type of meal, and place of consumption of all food items during the 24 hours of the previous day. Respondents were prompted about snacks and shared dishes. Food items consumed at restaurants, canteens, and other locations away from home were systematically recorded. Housewives and other household members were encouraged to provide additional information we used in determining the amounts of particular food items in dishes consumed in the home. The amount of each dish was estimated from the household inventory, and the proportions of each dish consumed were reported by each person interviewed. Thus the amount of individual consumption was determined by the proportion each person consumed of the total amount prepared.
There are clear reasons for collecting 24-hour dietary intake data. China has conquered the problem of food scarcity at the national level and has undergone a remarkable transition in the structure of food consumption. This has gone hand in hand with marked changes in eating behaviors. For instance, away-from-home food consumption has increased in response to the dynamic changes in real, disposable income and market labor force patterns. Variations in food intake and eating patterns within the household appear to be expanding. Food and nutrition policy is focusing less on food security needs and more on the health-related needs of selected age and gender groups. As this occurs individual dietary intake becomes more important.
There are clear reasons for collecting 24-hour dietary intake data. China has conquered the problem of food scarcity at the national level and has undergone a remarkable transition in the structure of food consumption. This has gone hand in hand with marked changes in eating behaviors. For instance, away-from-home food consumption has increased in response to the dynamic changes in real, disposable income and market labor force patterns. Variations in food intake and eating patterns within the household appear to be expanding. Food and nutrition policy is focusing less on food security needs and more on the health-related needs of selected age and gender groups. As this occurs individual dietary intake becomes more important.
