Pulses are nutrient dense foods that possess many beneficial effects. The purpose of this project was to examine the prevalence and effect of pulse consumption on nutrient intake in Canadian adults (≥ 19 y). Analysis was performed on data (N = 20,156) from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (Cycle 2.2). Respondents were divided into groups based on pulse consumption and levels of intake and the association between nutrient intakes and pulse consumption was examined. Analysis revealed that thirteen percent of Canadians consumed pulses on any given day, and individuals with higher pulse intakes had higher intakes of macronutrients as well as enhanced micronutrient intake. Although pulses are generally low in sodium, its intake also was higher in pulse consumers. These data indicate that pulse consumption supports dietary advice that pulses be included in healthful diets. Further studies will be necessary so that dietary advice to increase consumption of pulses will maximize their nutritional benefits.

Pulses are nutrient dense foods that possess many beneficial effects. The purpose of this project was to examine the prevalence and effect of pulse consumption on nutrient intake in Canadian adults (≥ 19 y). Analysis was performed on data (N = 20,156) from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (Cycle 2.2). Respondents were divided into groups based on pulse consumption and levels of intake and the association between nutrient intakes and pulse consumption was examined. Analysis revealed that thirteen percent of Canadians consumed pulses on any given day, and individuals with higher pulse intakes had higher intakes of macronutrients as well as enhanced micronutrient intake. Although pulses are generally low in sodium, its intake also was higher in pulse consumers. These data indicate that pulse consumption supports dietary advice that pulses be included in healthful diets. Further studies will be necessary so that dietary advice to increase consumption of pulses will maximize their nutritional benefits.

Factors which affect iron bioavailability have been repeatedly and extensively investigated. A model, derived from these studies, has been developed for estimating available iron from meal data. However, many dietary surveys report only average daily intakes of iron, and do not report the iron present in single meals. No model to estimate available iron from daily iron intake has been presented in the literature. Dietary questionnaires were kept for two nonconsecutive weekdays by 355 male and 382 female Utah school children, mean age 7.5 years, assisted by their parents, and recorded by household measure. Data, first recorded as meals eaten, were used to develop three models for the estimation of available iron from total daily iron intake. It was concluded that available iron can be estimated from total iron intake by two of these models, as compared with the currently used model, which estimates available iron from data recorded by meal. Additionally, meal patterns of those factors involved with the estimation of available iron were investigated. The intake of dietary ascorbic acid and total iron was found to be evenly distributed among meals; approximately 10% of these nutrients was consumed as snacks. Of the meat, fish, poultry and the iron in those products consumed; 36% was taken at lunch, and 54% at dinner. Only 5% of the meat, fish, and poultry iron was consumed as snacks. The available iron distribution for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks was 21.0%, 30.8%, 42.5% and 5.7%, respectively. Previous studies have investigated the characteristics of diets which provide 9 mg of iron per 1000 kcal of energy consumed. These diets have been shown to include larger portions of vegetables, fruits, and cereal products. In this study, these high-iron dense characteristics were studied as they pertain to total available iron intake. It was concluded that the high-iron dense diet receives more total available iron from the nonheme iron than from the heme iron consumed. Thus, it is conceivable that those dietary characteristics shown to provide a high-iron dense diet may also provide a high available iron intake.

In Australia, and other Western countries, there are marked socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from chronic, diet-related diseases. Research in these countries has shown that adults from low socioeconomic backgrounds experience greater morbidity and mortality from these conditions compared to their higher-status counterparts. In recent decades, much research has focused on factors that may contribute to these inequalities. Dietary intakes are thought to account for a large proportion of the socioeconomic variability in health, and there is some evidence suggesting that the psychosocial foundations laid down in adolescence are important influences on these dietary intakes. In Australia, however, existing research examining socioeconomic differences in dietary intakes is limited. Most previous research has looked at dietary intakes in adulthood, and have not considered examining for socioeconomic differences in adolescence. Furthermore, not much is known about the health and nutrition-related beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of adolescents that may contribute to socioeconomic differences in dietary intakes. This study examined these issues by analysing for socioeconomic differences in food and nutrient intakes among both adolescents and adults. It also investigated some health and nutrition-related beliefs, attitudes and perceptions of adolescents from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Data from a national cross-sectional survey, the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey, were analysed to determine socioeconomic differences in food and nutrient intakes. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with adolescents to investigate their health and nutrition-related beliefs, attitudes and perceptions. The results show that compared to adults, there is less socioeconomic inequality in food and nutrient intakes among adolescents. Intakes of some anti-oxidant vitamins and folate were directly related with socioeconomic position among adults. Adults from low socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to consume fruits or vegetables. They consumed a lower variety of fruits and vegetables and were less likely to choose fruits and vegetables high in vitamin A, folate and vitamin C. The results showed that these differences may be due to adults from low socioeconomic backgrounds being less likely to want to increase their fruit and vegetable intakes, and perceiving price and storage as barriers to doing so. There were a small number of socioeconomic differences in adolescents' beliefs, attitudes and perceptions about nutrition and health that may contribute to dietary intake inequalities in adulthood. Adolescents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to see health as being important for achieving goals, and identified nutrients and sleep as influencing their health less frequently. These adolescents also referred to dietary recommendations, nutrient intakes, dairy foods and avoiding school canteen foods less frequently when describing a healthy diet. A number of recommendations about the design and targeting of nutrition-promotion campaigns and interventions are discussed, as well as future directions for research on socioeconomic differences in dietary intakes.

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