Sources of macronutrients and energy in the diet of a group of French high‐school students on school‐days

Abstract

Dietary data from 481 French high‐school students aged 15–19 years were used to provide quantitative information regarding the contribution of 26 food groups to the whole sample intake of the following macronutrients: energy, protein, simple and complex carbohydrates, total fat. Each subject recorded his/her dietary intake using a one‐day record in household measures with interview. The percentage of total nutrient intake which each food group provided is presented as well as the proportion of students consuming them. Foods sometimes overlooked, such as sweet pastries, were found in some instances to be quantitatively important as a principal source of all macronutrients in the adolescent diet. These data should be useful to epidemiologists in the development of dietary assessment instruments and also for the nutritionists, health professionals and nutrition educators who work with adolescents.