INTAKE OF LOW-FAT FOODS IN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE PARIS AREA - ANTHROPOMETRIC, NUTRITIONAL AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES

This epidemiological study compared consumers and non-consumers of sev eral 'low-fat' foods typical of the French diet: skimmed milk, 'low-fa t' butter, 'low-fat' cheese,'low-fat' yogurt. The population was selec ted at random from the Val de Marne, a district close to Paris, A samp le of 741 people, aged 18-65 years (416 women, 325 men) agreed to repo rt habitual intake according to the Dietary History Method. Many anthr opometric differences appeared between female consumers and non-consum ers of 'low-fat' foods. Consumers were slightly older and heavier as m easured by the Body Mass Index (weight/height(2)) and had greater wais t, hip and thigh circumference values. Women consumers ate less in ter ms of daily energy and various food choices: potatoes, pasta, rice, su gar. Intake differences were most apparent in the groups of younger wo men (18-29 years). The Vitamin and mineral density of the diet was gre ater in women consumers. Male consumers of 'low-fat' foods ingested le ss alcohol regardless of age, but they ate more chocolate, jam and hon ey. The vitamin and mineral density of their diet was also greater. Th e majority of men ate enough to meet recommended nutrient allowances. This was often not the case in women, and improving the nutritional de nsity of their diet might yield long-term benefits.