Seven unique food consumption patterns among women in the UK Women's Cohort Study

Objective: To identify groups of subjects with similar food consumption patterns so that complex disease–diet relationships can be investigated at the level of the whole diet, rather than just in terms of nutrient intake.

Subjects: 33, 971 women in the UK Women’s Cohort Study. 60, 000 women on the World Cancer Research Fund mailing list were initially invited to take part. Subjects were selected to include a high proportion of vegetarians.

Design: The cohort completed a 217 item food frequency questionnaire. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of women with similar food consumption patterns. Clusters were compared on socio-demographic characteristics, indicators of health and diet, and nutrient intakes.

Results: Seven clusters were identified including two vegetarian clusters. Groups appeared to be differentiated by differences in food types and in diversity of diet. Socio-demographic, health and diet characteristics and nutrient intakes all differed significantly between groups.

Conclusion: Classifying diets in more pragmatic terms than just nutrient intake should provide valuable insight into understanding complex diet-disease relationships. Dietary advice, whilst based on nutrient content of meals, needs to take account of the combinations of different food types that people naturally choose to use together.

Sponsorship: World Cancer Research Fund.