Nutrition and consumption data from the EFS

1. Nutrition and consumption data from the EFS By Clare Burgon Defra Food Statistics Team http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/efs/default.asp

2. Background • Defra receives food & drink data from the Expenditure & Food Survey • Continuous survey to address seasonality • The EFS started in April 2001 • Food & drink data was previously collected under the National Food Survey • Started in 1940 • Extended to cover Eating Out in 1994 • Extended to include Northern Ireland from 1996 • EFS food and drink data recently revised back to 2001 to include free food and unspecified meals

3. Data collection • Data collected over 2 weeks • Records weight/volume and amount paid for all food and drink brought home (including free food) • Records amount paid for takeaway meals and snacks eaten at home, Defra estimates portion size • Records amount paid for all food and drink consumed away from home and type of meal • Where possible, whole meals eaten out are split into food components

4. The Results • Trends are the main strength of the survey with some data going back to 1974 and even to 1940 • Consumption – average per person per week (using purchases as a proxy) • Expenditure – average per person per week • Nutrient intake - average per person per day (using nutrient conversion factors) • All figures are averages – individual consumption or gender differences can not be identified

5. Trends informing policy • Allows for 10% wastage • Uses household and eating out data • FSA run the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) which has more accurate data but not trends

6. Trends informing policy • Allows for 10% wastage • Excluded potatoes • Only uses household purchases

7. Publications • The results are published in the annual report ‘Family Food’ at United Kingdom level. • Next publication due in December 2008 • Also available in excel datasets Additional analyses includes: • Country/region • Household composition • Income group of Household Reference Person • Age of HRP • Ethnic origin of HRP • Occupational class of HRP

8. Consumption published by Defra

9. Calculating purchases • Each household is given a weight calculated by the ONS. • Weights range from 0.001 to 12.33318. The average is around 3.7. A survey household with a weight of 3.7 essentially represents 3700 UK households. • Household calculation: • Eating out calculation:

10. Nutrient intakes published by Defra

11. Calculating nutrient intakes • Defra uses the food and drink coding structure used by the EFS • The Food Standard Agency provide nutrient profiles for subgroups of the EFS codes • Defra does a market share analysis of the FSA codes to determine how to calculate an overall profile per EFS code

12. Linking EFS and FSA codes

13. Calculating nutrient intakes • Multiply purchased quantities by nutrient co-efficient to reach final figure per nutrient • Nutrient coefficients are updated by the FSA on a rolling program. Recent updates include sausages, breakfast cereals and cheese. Buns, cakes and pastries will be updated next.

14. Nutrients by recommended level • Some key nutrients are also expressed as a % of energy intake • These figures can be measured against government guidelines to access the health of the nation

15. Plans for the future • When required, Defra currently estimates 10% wastage. This is currently being revised using data from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) • FSA are revising some of their nutrient profiles with up to date nutritional information • Defra are revising the market shares of the nutrient profiles • Defra are planning to update eating out portion sizes • Defra are looking into calculating standard errors for nutrient intakes