Dynamic changes of dietary composition among adults in Henan province, China

Adults 18 and over in Henan, China's largest province (10% of China population) and one of its poorest, were used to explore the dynamic changes in food consumption.. An income‐stratified multistage random cluster sampling scheme was used to draw 480 households from 24 communities in two cities and four counties. Dietary intakes were measured using a combination of the weighing method and three consecutive 24‐h recalls. Detailed income data from wages, farming, and all other resources were collected. In urban residents and in the highest income tertile, energy intake and macronutrients intake reached the Chinese national reference nutrient intake (RNI). Animal food intake increased quickly. Grains and tubers consumption declined gradually from 1989 to 2009. In rural areas and in low income adults, large proportions of adults consumed inadequate diets with nutrients intake below Chinese RNIs. Grains and vegetables provided most of the energy and protein with minimal food diversity. Rapid income growth shifted urban dietary patterns, yet rural areas and low income subpopulations continue to face food shortages and food insecurity. This study was supported by NIH (R01‐HD30880) and Fogarty International Center, NIH (5D43TW007709).