APPENDIX IX. Report of the bilateral session between Cyprus and a representative of the Coordinating Centre

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1 APPENDIX IX Report of the bilateral session between Cyprus and a representative of the Coordinating Centre 325

2 BILATERAL SESSION September 13-15, 2005 Participants Eliza Markidou, Dept of Medical and Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Cyprus. Androniki Naska Dept of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Athens. Koulia Onissiforou, National Statistical Office, Cyprus. Eleni Ioannou-Kakouri, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Cyprus. In the context of the DAFNE V project, data collected through the Cypriot household budget survey (HBS) of 1997 and 2003 will be analysed and integrated in the DAFNE database. The aim of the session was to discuss issues related to the HBS raw data, to proceed to the harmonization of the dietary and socio-demographic variables and to set the procedure for converting food expenditure to food quantity. Raw data The raw (household by household) data were provided to the Athens coordinating centre and they have been read according to the accompanying file description. Random samples of households from both survey years were sent prior to the session to the Cypriot Statistical Office to check the correct data reading. Some discrepancies were found and were discussed during the bilateral session. Androniki Naska from the coordinator centre will inform the DAFNE data managers on the conclusions of this discussion, in order to amend the data reading and send new samples for confirmation. The discussion was also referring to variables missing from the original file, but essential to the DAFNE procedures. The data provider either provided explanations on how to retrieve this information (e.g. locality of the household in 1997) or assumed 326

3 the responsibility of sending the missing ones to the coordinating centre (e.g data on the acquisition of alcoholic beverages for both 1997 and 2003). Lastly, clarifications were sought from the data providers with respect to the type of food items classified under certain food codes. Data harmonization Attendants worked on the classification of the food codes recorded in the two Cypriot HBS under the DAFNE food groups. Several issues were raised, stemming from the aggregated nature of the recorded food codes, particularly in the case of vegetables and fruits. Several approaches were discussed, in order to disaggregate the food items and apply the DAFNE classification scheme in the best possible way. In addition, attendants selected the variables describing the socio-demographic characteristics of interest (locality and composition of the household, education and occupation of the household head) and decided on the schemes for classifying these variables under the common DAFNE groups. Conversion of data on food expenses to information on food quantities The data recorded in the Cypriot HBSs refer to the money spent by each household for food acquisition. The Cypriot Statistical Office provided the coordinating centre with conversion factors (price per unit) for approximately half of the recorded codes. For the remaining ones, several approaches were discussed. In this discussion, the advice of Dr. Ioannou-Kakouri from the State General Laboratory was also sought. Dr. Kakouri had in the past worked with values on food expenditures estimated from the 1997 data. However, these were mean values and were not expressed on a household by household basis. Attendants decided to acquire from the Ministry of Commerce data on the price per unit of foodstuffs available in the market. To allow for seasonal variation in prices, efforts will be invested to acquire information per month of each survey year. 327

4 The following list describes the pending tasks that need to be completed before the second plenary meeting (October 21-22, 2005). LIST OF PENDING TASKS Prices per unit weight, for each survey month of years 1997 and 2003 (to be sent by Eliza Markidou to the Athens centre) Completion of the inventory describing the methodological characteristics of the 1997 survey (to be completed by Eliza Markidou with the assistance of Koulia Onisiforou and be sent to Athens) Confirmation of factors used to convert: powdered or condensed milk to fresh milk equivalents; coffee powder to coffee drink; tea leaves to tea drink; cocoa powder to cocoa drink; ml of ice cream to gr of ice cream etc. All factors are indicated in the overheads of the first plenary meeting and participants were asked to confirm their applicability. (to be sent by Eliza Markidou to the Athens centre) The following three codes from variable occup_1 were left unclassified and clarifications from the Statistical Office were deemed necessary. These codes are: 01 Armed Forces 24 Other Professionals 34 Other Associate Professionals Personal and Protective Services Workers (Eliza Markidou will inform the coordinating centre on whether they should be classified as manual or as non-manual). Variables on the acquisition of alcoholic beverages (to be sent by Koulia Onisiforou to Athens). Splitting factors and related information as indicated in the accompanying food aggregation table. Factors can be based on information on market share or discussed among a group of expert nutritionists. 328

5 Clarifications are needed for the following food items Food Code Survey Description Comments year F_ Other What food items are included F_ Other What food items are included F_ Meat of unspecified type This code includes meat consumed by the participants, but without any further specification on the type of meat. Statistical Office suggested tio split the code as beef pork, poultry etc. We expect splitting factors. F_ Other fish products What food items are included F_ Other (e.g. caviar, fishpies, taramas, etc) Proportion of fish pies in the code. F_ Vegetables of unspecified type What food items are included F_ Other What food items are included F_ Other types of cheese What types of cheese are included? We are interested in the proportion of hard and soft cheese. F_ Other fresh fruit (e.g Please confirm the description tropical melons, etc) F_ Powdered chocolate Is this drinking chocolate? 329

6 This report was produced by a contractor for Health & Consumer Protection Directorate General and represents the views of the contractor or author. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and do not necessarily represent the view of the Commission or the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.