Facteurs associés aux consommations alimentaires des bénéficiaires de l’aide alimentaire : étude abena

The majority of data available on the nutritional situation of low socioeconomic populations in industrialized countries describe a diet that is less favorable for health. The objective of this article is to describe the demographic and economic factors associated with low food intakes as defined by the National Nutrition and Health Program (Programme National Nutrition Santé, PNNS) dietary guidelines in a food aid dependent population.Subjects from the Abena (Food and nutritional status of food aid recipients) study were recruited in four urban zones (Marseille, Dijon, Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis). Questionnaires were principally about food intake frequencies, food supplies and food insecurity.Among the 1,164 included subjects, low consumption frequencies of fruits and vegetables (94.5% consuming <3.5/day), meat, fish and eggs group (42.6% <1/day), and dairy products (81.9% <3/day) were found. Men, young and aged people, and individuals with dependent children seem to be more often at risk for inadequate intakes with regard to the PNNS dietary guidelines. The food insecurity (49.2% declared not having enough to eat “sometimes” or “often”) was associated with an insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables, and meat, fish, and eggs.The described factors associated with lower food intakes observed in this precarious population confirms the notion that fruit and vegetable, and meat, fish and egg consumptions are markers of the socioeconomic status. This has been already observed in studies on more various socioeconomic statuses. The nutritional situation of food aid recipients described here underlines the need for food aid improvement, eventually focused on specific groups which have been identified.