Collecting regional data for public health focussing on diet and sustainability measures using myfood24
Cade, J.E.1,2, Rycroft, C.1, Beer, S.2, and Corrigan, N3.
1. Nutritional Epidemiology Group. School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK
2. Dietary Assessment Ltd, Nexus Building, Leeds, UK
3. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Department of Health and Social Care Blenheim House, Leeds, LS1 4PL
There is no regular, routine measurement of food and nutrient intake undertaken regionally in the UK. This makes evaluation of local public health interventions challenging. Consumers want to be more sustainable in what they are eating. Social media penetration in the UK is 90%1, with ~47m people using Facebook, a potential route to study recruitment. Nutritional analysis software with accurate underpinning food composition and sustainability data could enable quick and easy large scale data collection.
Aims: to collect diet and sustainability measures using online tools and to test the feasibility of using social media to obtain a large, regionally focussed sample in a short time.
We undertook a rapid, time limited, regional (Yorkshire and Humberside) food and nutrient tracking survey ‘One day: Diet in Yorkshire and Humber’ for use with policy makers2. A Facebook (FB) boost approach was used to recruit a regional (Yorkshire and Humberside) sample of adults. Participants completed a brief online demographic survey followed by a detailed measure of food intakes for the previous day using myfood24®. myfood24® generic and branded databases were used3 which include sustainability metrics.
The FB posts were boosted for 21 days and reached 76.9k individuals. Just under £1,000 (£893) was spent on 3 FB boosts and 1,428 participants completed the questionnaire. 673 participants also completed the one-day diet diary. Hull, Barnsley and Doncaster had the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the region. Overall nutrient values recorded were similar to national survey data for older women. Intakes of fibre (mean 18g, SD 11) and iron (mean 9.6mg, SD 5.0) were low. For the first time, measures of sustainability from the diet were calculated from myfood24®.
The mean greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) were 5.9(kg CO2 eq/day) (95% CI 5.6, 6.1); land use 9.0 (m2year/day) (95% CI 7.6, 10.3) and water use 582 (l/day) (95% CI 551, 611). Regression analysis showed that for each additional 100kcal consumed there was a significant increase in GHGE of 0.9 (kg CO2 eq/day) (95% CI 0.8, 1.1). Land and water use were also significantly increased with increasing energy intake. Adjusting for total energy, protein intake was positively associated with all 3 metrics. Carbohydrate was inversely associated with GHGE and land use. However, fat intake was not associated with any of the sustainability measures. Portions of fruit and vegetables consumed were positively associated with water use only.
Diet is clearly linked to sustainability measures. The mean GHGE from diet is equivalent to driving an average car ~22km/day. We successfully recruited a large sample in a short timeframe using FB. Participants were able to use online tools to report food intakes. This data is relevant to local and national policy makers to monitor and evaluate public health programmes.
1. Ofcom. Adults' media use and attitudes 2023 [Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/255844/adults-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2023.pdf]
2. Rycroft C, Beer S, Corrigan N, et al. (2022) Nutrients 14(24) doi: 10.3390/nu14245322 [published Online First: 2022/12/24]
3. Carter MC, Hancock N, Albar SA, et al. (2016) Nutrients 8(8) doi: 10.3390/nu8080480 [published Online First: 2016/08/17]

**Collecting regional data for public health focussing on diet and sustainability measures using myfood24**
Cade, J.E.1,2, Rycroft, C.1, Beer, S.2, and Corrigan, N3.
1. Nutritional Epidemiology Group. School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK
2. Dietary Assessment Ltd, Nexus Building, Leeds, UK
3. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Department of Health and Social Care Blenheim House, Leeds, LS1 4PL
There is no regular, routine measurement of food and nutrient intake undertaken regionally in the UK. This makes evaluation of local public health interventions challenging. Consumers want to be more sustainable in what they are eating. Social media penetration in the UK is 90%1, with ~47m people using Facebook, a potential route to study recruitment. Nutritional analysis software with accurate underpinning food composition and sustainability data could enable quick and easy large scale data collection.
Aims: to collect diet and sustainability measures using online tools and to test the feasibility of using social media to obtain a large, regionally focussed sample in a short time.
We undertook a rapid, time limited, regional (Yorkshire and Humberside) food and nutrient tracking survey ‘One day: Diet in Yorkshire and Humber’ for use with policy makers2. A Facebook (FB) boost approach was used to recruit a regional (Yorkshire and Humberside) sample of adults. Participants completed a brief online demographic survey followed by a detailed measure of food intakes for the previous day using myfood24®. myfood24® generic and branded databases were used3 which include sustainability metrics.
The FB posts were boosted for 21 days and reached 76.9k individuals. Just under £1,000 (£893) was spent on 3 FB boosts and 1,428 participants completed the questionnaire. 673 participants also completed the one-day diet diary. Hull, Barnsley and Doncaster had the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the region. Overall nutrient values recorded were similar to national survey data for older women. Intakes of fibre (mean 18g, SD 11) and iron (mean 9.6mg, SD 5.0) were low. For the first time, measures of sustainability from the diet were calculated from myfood24®.
The mean greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) were 5.9(kg CO2 eq/day) (95% CI 5.6, 6.1); land use 9.0 (m2year/day) (95% CI 7.6, 10.3) and water use 582 (l/day) (95% CI 551, 611). Regression analysis showed that for each additional 100kcal consumed there was a significant increase in GHGE of 0.9 (kg CO2 eq/day) (95% CI 0.8, 1.1). Land and water use were also significantly increased with increasing energy intake. Adjusting for total energy, protein intake was positively associated with all 3 metrics. Carbohydrate was inversely associated with GHGE and land use. However, fat intake was not associated with any of the sustainability measures. Portions of fruit and vegetables consumed were positively associated with water use only.
Diet is clearly linked to sustainability measures. The mean GHGE from diet is equivalent to driving an average car ~22km/day. We successfully recruited a large sample in a short timeframe using FB. Participants were able to use online tools to report food intakes. This data is relevant to local and national policy makers to monitor and evaluate public health programmes.
1. Ofcom. Adults' media use and attitudes 2023 [Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/255844/adults-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2023.pdf]
2. Rycroft C, Beer S, Corrigan N, et al. (2022) _Nutrients_ **14**(24) doi: 10.3390/nu14245322 [published Online First: 2022/12/24]
3. Carter MC, Hancock N, Albar SA, et al. (2016) _Nutrients_ 8(8) doi: 10.3390/nu8080480 [published Online First: 2016/08/17]

OC231 - Collecting regional data for public health focusing on diet and sustainability measures using myfood24

Unique to the new Congress (previously the Summer Conference) is that you will have greater opportunity to engage with more nutrition science than ever before. In 2024 the core programme will be delivered by the Irish Section of The Nutrition Society, supported by the Science Committee. The theme of these symposia will be ‘new data – focused approaches and challenges’. Outside of the core programme you will have the chance to hear the latest research from the Society’s partner organisations, universities, the private sector and more, on a diverse range of research.