ARS | Publication request: IMPACT OF SELECTED CHANGES IN THE MARKETPLACE ON NUTRIENT INTAKES

Submitted to: American Dietetic Association Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: March 17, 2004
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Citation: Ahuja, J., Omolewa-Tomobi, G., Moshfegh, A. 2004. Impact of selected changes in the marketplace on nutrient intakes [abstract]. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 104(8) Supplement:A-49

Technical Abstract: Changes in foods in the marketplace can alter intakes without any active decision-making by the consumers. Examples of such recent changes in foods include folate fortification of grain products and reformulation of ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals in response to changes in Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) standards. The effects of these changes were estimated using the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Trends Analysis System, which enables differentiation between real changes in foods versus data improvements. Intakes from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) 1994-96, 98 were re-analyzed using the current nutrient data for grain products and RTE cereals. Differences in mean intakes and percent differences were estimated for different sex-age groups using SAS version 8.02, and tested for significance using SAS callable SUDAAN version 8. Folate fortification had a significant impact on folate intakes (p<0.001). Changes in RTE cereals also altered intakes, including vitamin B12, calcium, and folate. The impact was higher for children. USDA's Trends Analysis System enables these analyses with relative ease, and is available to researchers and public for use.