Dietary intake of Indians living in the metropolitan area of Durban

Abstract

AbstractObjective:To report on energy and nutrient intakes, as a risk factor for coronary heart disease in Indian South Africans.Design:Cross-sectional dietary study as part of a coronary heart disease survey.Setting:Metropolitan area of Durban, South Africa.Subjects:Free-living Indian men (n = 406) and women (n = 370) 15–69 years of age.Methodology:Dietary data were collected by three interviewers using a 24-h dietary recall and expressed as median intakes of macronutrients.Results:Results reported a low energy intake and the percentage of energy derived from total fat varied between 32.3 and 34.9% in men and between 33.1 and 36.1% in women. The energy intake to basal metabolic rate (EI: BMR) ratios were low for all age groups suggesting potential under-reporting. Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids was high, more than 10% of energy, with a median polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (P: S ratio) that varied between 1.38 and 1.96 for the various age and sex groups. Dietary cholesterol varied between 66 and 117 mg per 4.2 MJ in men and between 76 and 109 mg per 4.2 MJ in women. Dietary fibre intakes were low and varied between 8.0 and 11.0 g per 4.2 MJ in men and between 7.6 and 9.6 g per 4.2 MJ in women.Conclusions:The dietary P:S ratios were high and the effect of such a high P:S ratio on the oxidation of low density lipoprotein in this population, with a high prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD), should be investigated as a possible risk factor for CHD.