Food and nutrient intakes of vegetarians in Britain

The food purchase and meal records of 120 households which took part in the National Food Survey between 1979 and 1982 indicated that they were vegetarian. In 83 households containing 158 individuals there were no indications from the menu lists that families were eating an Asian type of diet. Among these vegetarians the levels of most nutrients available from the household food were lower than the national average for the same years but calcium, vitamin C and folic acid intakes were above the national average. Intakes of fat were substantially lower than the national average and the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids was over 40 per cent higher among vegetarians than the national average. In 37 households containing 146 individuals an Asian type of diet was consumed. Only limited conclusions can be drawn from their food acquisitions as a result of large purchases in certain categories of food. For these households the nutrients available from a week's record of food brought into the home do not appear to be a useful reflection of the consumption of food in that household during the survey week.