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Comparison of the Micro-Nutrica Nutritional Analysis program and the Russian Food Composition Database using data from the Baltic Nutrition Surveys

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 573–579 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the nutrient content of foods and diets based on data from two food composition databases used in the Baltic Nutrition Surveys (conducted in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1997): an adapted version of the Finnish Micro-Nutrica Nutritional Analysis program (used in Estonia) and the Russian Institute of Nutrition Food Composition Database (used in Latvia and Lithuania).

Design: The adapted Micro-Nutrica and Russian databases were used to estimate the energy and nutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin C, calcium and iron) content of 15 common foodstuffs in the region and the nutrient intakes of 32 Latvian respondents (based on 24-h recalls). Differences between databases were estimated.

Results: There were discrepancies in the energy and nutrient content of the 15 selected foods using the two databases. The adapted Micro-Nutrica database generally gave a lower energy content than the Russian database (median: −6%), and a lower fat content for typically fat-rich foods. Intakes of energy, fat, carbohydrate and calcium by the 32 selected respondents were significantly lower when the Micro-Nutrica database was used. Differences were particularly high for fat (difference=−23.5%, 95% confidence interval=−31.1 to −15.8%, P<0.0001).

Conclusions: The results suggest that reported comparisons of nutrient intakes in the Baltic countries should be treated with caution and that more research is needed for the development of comparable national databases in the region. Potential differences between databases should be investigated early when international surveys of dietary intake are being planned.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following persons who assisted with the organisation of the surveys: Roma Bartkeviciute, MD, PhD, Head of Department of National Nutrition Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania; Dr Mary Serdula, Department of Nutrition, CDC, Atlanta, USA; Dr Ritva Prättälä, Institute of Public Health, Helsinki, Finland; Mr Eric Poortvliet, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Huddinge, Sweden. The surveys were funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg and the World Health Organization. However, neither the Government of Luxembourg nor the World Health Organization can accept any responsibility for any information provided or the views expressed. The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food Processing Institute, Tallinn Technical University, Tallinn, Estonia

    S Vaask

  2. European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    J Pomerleau & M McKee

  3. Health Promotion Centre, Skolas, Riga, Latvia

    I Pudule & D Grinberga

  4. Department of Physiology, Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

    A Abaravicius

  5. WHO Regional Officer for Europe, Scherfigsvej, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

    A Robertson

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  1. S Vaask
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  2. J Pomerleau
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  3. I Pudule
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  4. D Grinberga
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  5. A Abaravicius
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  6. A Robertson
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  7. M McKee
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Guarantor: S Vaask.

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Correspondence to S Vaask.

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Vaask, S., Pomerleau, J., Pudule, I. et al. Comparison of the Micro-Nutrica Nutritional Analysis program and the Russian Food Composition Database using data from the Baltic Nutrition Surveys. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 573–579 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601848

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