Comparison of dietary patterns between population samples in the three French MONICA nutritional surveys

A nutritional survey was carried out from 1985 to 1987 in three French areas covered by the ischaemic heart disease registers: Bas-Rhin (BR), Haute-Garonne (HG) and the Urban Community of Lille (UCL). 1,128 men aged 45-64 were included in a survey, using the 3-day record method. The results, after adjustment for age, socio-economic status, residence and prescribed diet, showed differences, sometimes significant, between the three samples. Fat represented 37% of the total energy intake in BR, 36% in UCL, and 34% in HG. The P:S ratio ranged from 0.50 in HG, to 0.47 in BR, and 0.40 in UCL. These differences were due to a higher intake of vegetable fat and a lower intake of animal fat in HG. In spite of a very important alcohol intake, with no big differences between the centres (33 to 36 g/day), we noticed that HG drank mainly wine, whereas BR and UCL drank wine and beer in about the same proportions.