Assessing eating patterns - an emerging research topic in nutritional sciences: Introduction to the symposium

In order to stimulate food habit research in nutritional sciences, in 1994 the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) established Committe e II/2 on Nutrition and Food Habits, which has the charge "to review the im pact of changing food choice and habits on nutritional status". Within this broad task, priority has been given to methodological aspects o f studies on the spatio-temporal structure of food and drink intake. Some p rinciples of the study of eating patterns and the status of this research t opic nutrition are described as an introduction to selected papers of a wor kshop on "Methodology to Identify and to Assess Eating Patterns" organized by the IUNS committee and held during the 16th International Congress of Nu trition in Montreal (Canada) on 28 July 1997. (C) 1999 Academic Press.