Profile of European adults interested in internet-based personalised nutrition: the Food4Me study

Livingstone, K. M. et al. (2016) Profile of European adults interested in internet-based personalised nutrition: the Food4Me study. European Journal of Nutrition, 55(2), pp. 759-769. (doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-0897-y) (PMID:25893715)

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Abstract

Purpose Personalised interventions may have greater potential for reducing the global burden of non-communicable diseases and for promoting better health and well-being across the lifespan than the conventional “one size fits all” approach. However, the characteristics of individuals interested in personalised nutrition (PN) are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of European adults interested in taking part in an internet-based PN study.<p></p> Methods Individuals from seven European countries (UK, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Poland) were invited to participate in the study via the Food4Me website (http://www.food4me.org). Two screening questionnaires were used to collect data on socio-demographic, anthropometric and health-related characteristics as well as dietary intakes.<p></p> Results A total of 5662 individuals expressed an interest in the study (mean age 40 ± 12.7; range 15–87 years). Of these, 65 % were female and 97 % were Caucasian. Overall, 13 % were smokers and 47 % reported the presence of a clinically diagnosed disease. Furthermore, 47 % were overweight or obese and 35 % were sedentary during leisure time. Assessment of dietary intakes showed that 54 % of individuals reported consuming at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day, 46 % consumed more than 3 servings of wholegrains and 37 % limited their salt intake to <5.75 g per day.<p></p> Conclusions Our data indicate that individuals volunteering to participate in an internet-based PN study are broadly representative of the European adult population, most of whom had adequate nutrient intakes but could benefit from improved dietary choices and greater physical activity. Future use of internet-based PN approaches is thus relevant to a wide target audience.<p></p>

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Celis, Dr Carlos
Authors: Livingstone, K. M., Celis-Morales, C., Navas-Carretero, S., San-Cristobal, R., O’Donovan, C. B., Forster, H., Woolhead, C., Marsaux, C. F. M., Macready, A. L., Fallaize, R., Kolossa, S., Tsirigoti, L., Lambrinou, C. P., Moschonis, G., Godlewska, M., Surwiłło, A., Drevon, C. A., Manios, Y., Traczyk, I., Gibney, E. R., Brennan, L., Walsh, M. C., Lovegrove, J. A., Alfredo Martinez, J., Saris, W. H., Daniel, H., Gibney, M., and Mathers, J. C.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
Journal Name:European Journal of Nutrition
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:1436-6207
ISSN (Online):1436-6215
Published Online:17 April 2015
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2015 Springer-Verlag
First Published:First published in European Journal of Nutrition 55(2): 759-769
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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