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Whole-grain intake of British young people aged 4–18 years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

C. W. Thane ,
A. R. Jones ,
A. M. Stephen ,
C. J. Seal  and
S. A. Jebb
C. W. Thane*
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge CB1 9NL, UK
A. R. Jones
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
A. M. Stephen
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge CB1 9NL, UK
C. J. Seal
Affiliation:
Human Nutrition Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
S. A. Jebb
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge CB1 9NL, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Mr C. W. Thane, fax +44 (0)1223 437515, email Christopher.Thane@mrc-hnr.cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

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Inverse associations between whole-grain food consumption and risk of CVD, some cancers and type 2 diabetes have been reported. However, there are few reports of whole-grain intake, particularly among young people. The objective of the present study was to estimate whole-grain intake in a nationally representative sample of young people aged 4–18 years living in Great Britain. Whole-grain intake was estimated using 7d weighed dietary records from 1583 young people who participated in the cross-sectional National Diet and Nutrition Survey in 1997. Whole-grain intake was quantified from the consumption of all foods containing ≥10% whole-grain content. Median whole-grain intake was 7g/d (interquartile range 0–19g/d), with a corresponding mean of 13 (sd18) g/d. Intake was significantly lower among young people whose head of household had a manual occupation, but did not differ significantly by sex, age, region or season. There was no whole-grain intake for 27% of participants. The percentages for less than one and less than three 16g amounts of whole-grain intake per d were 70 and 94, respectively, while corresponding percentages based on 20g amounts were 76 and 97. Foods with <51% whole-grain content provided 28% of whole-grain intake overall, with a higher percentage in older adolescents. The main sources of whole-grain intake were breakfast cereals (56%) and bread (25%). The present study provides the first quantification of absolute whole-grain intake from all significant food sources in any representative age group in the UK. Although there is some debate regarding the quantity of whole grains required for good health, whole-grain intake among British young people is low.

Keywords

Whole grainIntake and food sourcesChildrenGreat Britain
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 94 , Issue 5 , November 2005 , pp. 825 - 831
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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