European food consumption data: achievements made so far and future challenges Davide Arcella Dietary and Chemical Monitoring (DCM) Unit
Outline of the presentation Past EFSA activities in the food consumption area The EFSA Comprehensive European food consumption database Towards the EU Menu era: harmonised food consumption data collection 2
Scientific Committee In 2005 the Scientific Committee suggested the establishment of a harmonised food consumption database in the EU. It also recommended that EFSA should contribute to the development of a European framework for the harmonisation of food consumption data in the EU and make these data publicly accessible. 3
EFSA Scientific Colloquium A common database on food consumption would improve the consistency and reliability of exposure assessments carried out by the various EFSA Panels and other experts in Europe 4
Concise database first output The Concise European Food Consumption Database: provides data in a limited number of 15 main food categories (29 sub-categories), currently contains data from 19 European countries, is intended to to be used as a screening tool for preliminary exposure assessment. 5
Comprehensive Database: Adults EFSA Comprehensive European food consumption database (DPPA/EFSA/DATEX/2008-2009) Individual food consumption data from 20 Member States provided to EFSA: the most recent data within the country, at the finest level of detail, representative consumption at national level for, at least, the adult population. 6
Dietary surveys included in the Comprehensive Database Country (survey) Austria Name of the dietary survey (Acronym) Austrian Study On Nutritional Status (ASNS) Survey period Target population Age range Method Replicates 2005-06 Adults 19-65 24 h dietary recall 1 Belgium Diet National 2004 2004 05 Adults > 15 24 h dietary recall 2 National Survey of Food Bulgaria Intake and Nutritional Status 2004 Adults > 16 24 h dietary recall 1 NUTRICHILD 2007 Small children < 5 24 h dietary recall 2 Czech Republic SISP04 2003-04 Children and adults > 4 24 h dietary recall 2 Denmark Danish Dietary Survey 2000-02 Children and adults 4-75 Food record 7 Estonia NDS 1997 1997 Adults 19-64 24 h dietary recall 1 Finland FINDIET 2007 2007 Adults 25-74 48 h dietary recall 1 France INCA2 2005 07 Children and adults 3-79 Food record 7 Germany National Nutrition Survey II 2005 07 Adults and adolescents 14-80 24 h dietary recall 2 Hungary National Repr Surv 2003 Adults > 18 Food record 3 Ireland NSFC 1997 99 Adults 18-64 Food record 7 Italy INRAN-SCAI 2005 06 2005 06 Children and adults > 0.1 Food record 3 Latvia EFSA_TEST 2008 Children and adults 7-66 24 h dietary recall 2 Netherlands VCP2003 2003 Adults 19-30 24 h dietary recall 2 Poland IZZ-FAO-2000 2000 Children and adults 1-96 24 h dietary recall 1 Slovakia SK MON 2008 2008 Adults 19-59 24 h dietary recall 1 Slovenia CRP-2008 2007-08 Adults 18-65 24 h dietary recall 1 Spain AESAN-FIAB 1999-2001 Adults 17-60 Food record 3 AESAN 2009 Adults 18-60 24 h dietary recall 2 Sweden RIKSMATEN 1997-98 1997-98 Adults 18-74 Food record 7 United Kingdom National Diet & Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2000-01 Adults 19-64 Food record 7 7
Comprehensive Database: Children Individual food consumption data and exposure assessment studies for children (EXPOCHI EFSA Article 36 project) Individual food consumption data from 12 Member States provided to EFSA: at the finest level of detail, representative for the children population at national or regional level. 8
Dietary surveys from EXPOCHI Country Provider Period Age years Representative Subjects Days Method 1 Belgium Ugent 2002-03 2.5 to 6.5 Regional (Flanders) 661 3 Dietary record 2 Cyprus REF 2003 2 to 18 National 303 3 Dietary record 3 Czech Republic NIPH 2003-04 4 to 14 National* 602 2 24-hour recall 4 Denmark DTU Food 2000-02 4 to 10 National* 606 7 Dietary record 5 Finland Evira 2003-06 1, 3 and 6 Regional (South) 1,448 3 Dietary record 2000 7 to 8 Regional (South-west) 250 4 Dietary record 6 France AFSSA 2005-07 3 to 10 National* 574 7 Dietary record 7 Germany FKE 2006-08 1 to 10 Regional (Dortmund) 926 3 Dietary record 8 Greece UoC 2004-05 4 to 6 Regional (Crete) 874 3 Dietary record 9 Italy INRAN 2005-06 1 to 10 National* 252 3 Dietary record 10 Poland NFNI 2000 1 to 14 National* 611 1 24-hour recall 11 Spain FIN 1998-00 1 to 14 National 382 2 24-hour recall PGHI 2004-05 4 to 14 Regional (Basque) 1050 2 24-hour recall 12 Sweden NFA 2003 3 to 4 National 2,495 4 24-hour recall 13 Netherlands RIKILT/RIVM 2005-06 2 to 6 National 1,279 3 Dietary record * The same data are also available in the Comprehensive Database for adults. 9
Magnitude of the database Dietary surveys 32 Member States 22 Number of subjects 66,492 Number of different foods 63,495 Number of different FoodEx codes 1,504 Number of consumption records 6,309,489 29-30 November 2011 GUIDEA 10
Age classes The Comprehensive Database currently includes food consumption data for: Infants (0-12 months): Toddlers (12-36 months): Children (3-10 years): 2 surveys in 2 countries, 8 surveys in 8 countries, 16 surveys in 14 countries, Adolescents (10-18 years): 14 surveys in 12 countries, Adults (18-65 years) Elderly (65-75 years): Very elderly (>75 years): 21 surveys in 20 countries, 9 surveys in 9 countries, 8 surveys in 8 countries. 11
Update in 2012 Update of the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database (CFT/EFSA/DCM/2011/01) Deadline for submission of offers: Commencement of activities End of August 2011 December 2011 End of the projects: December 2012 12
Methods used in dietary surveys included in the Comprehensive DB Different consumption patterns between countries can simply be induced by the survey methodology. Examples of differences in survey methodology: 24 h dietary recall vs. food record broad survey period, from 1997 (Estonia) to 2009 (Spain) from 1 to 7 days per subject individual vs. household sample unit from 28% to 98% response rate week end days not evenly represented in 6 surveys seasonality not fully covered in 10 surveys (only one season represented in 4 surveys) body weight and height measured or estimated food classification 13
Food classification - FoodEx Data providers were asked to disaggregate household dishes to the ingredient level found in the classification. Ideally only ready to eat dishes should be codified under the Composite food group in FoodEx; link all different food descriptors present in their food consumption database with a FoodEx code at the most detailed possible level. FoodEx Food list: ~1,700 end-points (food names, generic food names) Hierarchical structure, up to 4 levels, not equal branching 20 main food groups 2 nd level composed by ~160 items Structured on child-parent relation 14
FoodEx Level 1 Milk and dairy products FoodEx Level 2 Liquid milk Milk based beverages Concentrated milk Whey and whey products Cream and cream products Fermented milk products Milk derivatives Cheese Milk and milk product imitates FoodEx Level 3 Liquid milk Liquid milk (unspecified) Cow milk Sheep milk Buffalo milk Goat milk Horse milk Ass milk Camel milk Human milk FoodEx Level 4 Cow milk Cow milk, > 4% fat (inc. Channel Island milk) Cow milk, 3-4% fat (whole milk) Cow milk, 1-2.9% fat (semi-skimmed milk) Cow milk, < 1% fat (skimmed milk) 15
Food classification Objective: development of a uniformed food classification and description system that can: address the needs of most units in EFSA and be accepted by the EFSA Member State networks In the field of food consumption, occurrence of chemical contaminants and residues and microbiological hazards. Working Group on Development of a Food Classification and Description System for exposure assessment (Deadline: December 2011). Scientific Colloquium on Food Classification: Unambiguous ambiguity the challenge of describing food (June 2010). 16
In the future: FoodEx2 17
Conditions of use EFSA has the right to use raw individual food consumption data for carrying out risk assessments and other scientific analyses within the activities related to EFSA s mandate. A formal authorization from the data provider must be requested for any other use of the data. 18
Guidance of EFSA GUIDANCE of EFSA on the Use of the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database in Exposure Assessment. Published: March 2011. Drafted by the DCM (DATEX) Food Consumption and Exposure Working Group (FCE WG). Summary statistics on the EFSA website include data: for each country, dietary survey and age class, at the 1 st and 2 nd level of the FoodEx, for chronic and acute consumption, for the total population and for consumers only, in grams/day and in grams/kg body weight per day. 19
Main recommendations Exclude dietary surveys with only one day per subject when calculating chronic exposure. Avoid direct country-to-country comparisons. Always assess exposure at the country level and don t merge different dietary surveys together with the aim of assessing exposure at European level. Cautious interpretation of the high percentiles. 20
Comprehensive vs. Concise Added value: more details on food descriptors food consumption data at day level more recent data availability of food consumption data for children Problems unresolved: food consumption databases are not harmonised different information available across MSs difficulties in assessing exposure at EU level 21
EU Menu plan in short Aims to collect food consumption data at EU level: in different age classes (from infants to elderly) in 27 Member States (minimum 80,000 subjects in total) using methods allowing the comparison of the results from different Member States using the EPIC soft, or comparable, software including anthropometric measurements 22
EFSA Guidance published 2009 General principles for the collection of national food consumption data in the view of a pan- European dietary survey EFSA needs Sampling method and design Dietary assessment methodologies Administration of the interview Dietary survey tools Non dietary information and quality control Discussed and endorsed by the Expert group on food consumption data in mid October 2009 Published on the EFSA Journal in December 2009 23
PANCAKE Article 36 project Pilot study for the Assessment of Nutrient intake and food Consumption Among Kids in Europe (PANCAKE) Project leader: RIVM (The Netherlands) Project period: December 2009 July 2012 The main objectives of the project are to develop and test tools and procedures for the collection of individual food consumption data for: infants up to 11 months of age toddlers from 12 up to 35 months of age other children from 3 to 10 years of age breastfeeding mothers Pilot dietary survey conducted in two different countries 24
PANEU Article 36 project Pilot study in the view of a Pan-European dietary survey Adolescents, adults and elderly (PANEU) Project leader: HFSO (Hungary) Project period: December 2010 December 2012 The main objectives of the project are to develop tools and procedures for the collection of individual food consumption data and anthropometric data for: adolescents from 10 to 18 years of age, adults from 18 to 64 years of age, elderly from 65 to 74 years of age. Pilot dietary survey conducted in six countries. 25
EPIC-SOFT dietary software Procurement contract with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) regarding the use of EPIC-SOFT dietary software Project period: January 2011 January 2012 (3 phases) to get the EPIC-SOFT adapted in the view of a pan- European dietary survey to obtain training, required technical support and supervision in during the pilot phase 26
Countries involved in the EU Menu pilots 27
Towards the EU Menu era EFSA will continue supporting EU Menu dietary surveys from 2011 onwards in 27 Member States through open call for tenders The General Principles published by EFSA in 2009 will be the basis for the EU Menu methodology harmonisation in the methodology will increase as soon as the two pilot projects will have delivered their results In 2011 EFSA issued an open call for tenders Support to national dietary surveys in compliance with the EFSA guidance on general principles for the collection of national food consumption data in the view of a pan- European dietary survey (400,000 budget). 28
Questions? Thank you! Davide Arcella davide.arcella@efsa.europa.eu 29