Food consumption data are baseline information that can be used for various scientific studies in areas related to food and health.
Food consumption data are essential for two main purposes: assessing the nutritional status of a population and evaluating food-related risks.
- Assessment of the nutritional status of a population: By compiling and analyzing food consumption data, it is possible to determine the adequacy of energy, nutrient, and other dietary component intakes, based on existing recommendations for different population groups.
- Assessment of food-related risks: The evaluation of risks associated with food is a scientific process consisting of four steps, the third of which is exposure assessment. Exposure assessment focuses on the qualitative or quantitative evaluation of the intake of chemical, biological, or physical hazards. For this intake assessment, it is necessary to know food consumption patterns, information that can be provided through food surveys.
At present, we are actively working on collecting food consumption data from adolescents in Portugal, in order to assess the intake of food additives.
In due course, this page will provide additional information on food consumption data.