WHO COMPLIED WITH COMA 1984 DIETARY-FAT RECOMMENDATIONS AMONG A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF BRITISH ADULTS IN 1986-7 AND WHAT DID THEY EAT

Objectives: To determine the proportion of the British adult populatio n that appeared to achieve the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Po licy (COMA) 1984 nutritional recommendations, and to compare their die tary pattern, socioeconomic and behavioural characteristics with those of Ether British adults. Design: National representative dietary surv ey using 7-day weighed dietary records. Setting: Private households in Great Britain in 1986-7. Subjects: 1087 men and 1110 women aged 16-64 years. Main outcome measures: Food group and nutrient consumption, so cio-economic, demographic and behavioural characteristics. Results: 5. 2% men and 7.4% women appeared to meet all three COMA dietary fat reco mmendations, termed hen 'compliers', when data for all survey particip ants were analysed, Corresponding figures were 3.8% men and 4.7% women when 'low energy reporters' (LERs) were excluded, ie men (30%) and wo men (47%) with reported energy intakes <1.2 estimated basal metabolic rate. With the exclusion of LERs,'compliers' appeared to meet the reco mmendations by substituting low-fat for high-fat dairy products, and p oultry for meat and meat products. They also tended to report more hig h fibre bread and cereals, Compared with 'non-compliers', the diets of 'compliers' were higher in protein, carbohydrate, starch, sugar and f ibre, and were more micronutrient-dense, A higher proportion of men in non-manual than in manual social classes were classified as 'complier s' (5.2% vs 2.4%, P < 0.05), Amongst women, Black/Ethnic minority part icipants were more likely to be 'compliers' than Whites. Being a 'comp lier' was related to other indicators of health seeking behaviour leg non-smoking, no or moderate alcohol intake, food supplement use). Conc lusion: Few men and women appeared to comply with Government recommend ations on dietary fat in 1986/87. The findings are relevant to the imp lementation of current healthy eating guidelines as a basis for preven tion of coronary heart disease.