Public Health Nutrition: 10(11A), 1354–1367 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980007000961 Trends in energy and nutrient intake and risk of inadequate intakes in Catalonia, Spain (1992–2003) Lluı ´s Serra-Majem 1,2,3, *, Lourdes Ribas-Barba 1 , Gemma Salvador 3 , Lluı ´s Jover 4 , Blanca Raido ´ 1 , Joy Ngo 1 and Antoni Plasencia 3 1 Community Nutrition Research Centre, University of Barcelona Science Park, Baldiri Reixac 4, Torre D 4A1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain: 2 Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain: 3 Division of Public Health, Department of Health, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain: 4 Department of Public Health, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Submitted 6 July 2007: Accepted 7 September 2007 Abstract Objectives: To analyse trends in energy and nutrient intakes and nutritional adequacy from 1992 to 2003. Design: Two consecutive cross-sectional studies carried out on random samples of the Catalan population ENCAT 1992–93 and ENCAT 2002–03. Dietary intake was assessed by means of two 24-hour recalls on non-consecutive days. Spanish food consumption tables were used. Energy and nutrient data were adjusted for intraindividual variability, and the Spanish recommend nutrient intakes (RNIs) were used in the analysis. Setting: Catalonia region, North Eastern Spain. Subjects: Analysis is based on a total of 4701 individuals; 2641 from ENCAT 1992–93 (1210 men and 1431 women) and 2060 from ENCAT 2002–03 (954 men and 1106 women), aged 10–75 years. Results: No relevant changes in energy intake trends were observed, although a decrease was observed in the daily consumption of proteins (27 g), cholesterol (256 mg), potassium (2245 mg), vitamin A (2283 RE mg), retinoids (271 mg), carotenoids (21520 mg), niacin (229 mg), folates (215 mg), vitamin B 12 (21.6 mg) vitamin D (20.5 mg), fibre and iron, and an increase in the consumption of calcium (157 mg) and a slight increase in lipids and fatty acids (% energy). In general, the most outstanding trends were those of vitamin A (as a result of the decreased consumption of offal), proteins, vitamin D and B 12 (due to the decreased consumption of meat and fish) and calcium (as a consequence of the increased consumption of dairy products). Conclusion: No changes were observed in the energy intake of males or females; therefore, the obesity changes may possibly be attributed to changes in physical activity patterns. However, an increase in energy sources of a poorer nutritional profile has been identified, especially for between meal snacks. Keywords Dietary survey Nutrient intakes Recommended nutrient intake Nutrient adequacy Trends Nutrient food sources Food consumption Spain The World Health Organization (WHO) alerts in their World Health Report 2002 that in most developed coun- tries, a great proportion of the morbidity and mortality are related to non-communicable diseases, and that the main risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, low fruit and vegetable consumption, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and tobacco smoking) are largely rela- ted to inadequate food habits and low physical activity levels in the population 1 . The evaluation of a population’s nutritional status is a key element for the development of public health policies to promote healthy nutritional habits according to evidence-based epidemiology 2,3 . When the evaluation is conducted periodically, it is possible to analyse the evolution of the studied parameters, in order to assess the compliance with the nutrition objectives set for the population and the efficacy of nutritional policies and health promotion campaigns that have been carried out 4,5 . For this reason, the Health Department of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia has inclu- ded as one of their objectives in the Health Policy for Catalonia, the realisation of periodic nutritional surveys for monitoring the nutritional status of the Catalan population 6,7 . In fact, Catalonia has one of the most complete nutritional surveillance systems in Europe, with surveys conducted periodically in representative *Corresponding author: Email lserra@dcc.ulpgc.es r The Authors 2007