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After describing the evolution of mortality from ischaemic cardiopathy (IC) in Spain from 1951 to 1986, which is tending to stabilize in some age groups, and from cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), which is clearly declining, an attempt is made to relate these developments to the prevalence of the main risk factors (hypertension, cholesterol, tobacco) associated with IC and CVA. Certain advances, though of a limited number, have been made in recent years in the control of arterial hypertension in Spain, although campaigns on a national scale as in other countries have not been carried out. Regarding alimentary factors, there is an obvious increase in the consumption of food rich in proteins and animal fats, abandoning to a great extent the traditional "Mediterranean diet", with health care action being limited to the improvement of nutrition education of the public. Furthermore, the consumption of tobacco has been increasing in Spain during the study period in spite of health legislation in force in recent years. It is therefore deduced that there is no obvious relationship between mortality due to IC and CVA and the prevalence of the main risk factors associated with these diseases, especially when taking into account that preventive actions on a public health level have been very limited.

This work gives a picture of the eating habits and nutritional state of children from the kindergarden of the Polytechnical University of Valencia. The data was obtained through a dietary survey and involved the weighing of foods as they were ingested. A high protein intake and a low intake of carbohydrate, iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin D are observed. Proteins are mainly of animal origin owing to the high intake of dairy products, which on the other hand, are relatively poor in iron, zinc and folatos. The results obtained are similar in their main features to food tendencies observed in developed areas.

A low-energy diet can have an insufficient content of minerals and vitamins to meet nutritional requirements. We herein report on study of the contribution of the diet to mineral and vitamin intake in a Valencia pre-school children population. The results are compared with recommended daily intakes of energy, protein, lipid, carbohydrates, Ca, Fe, I, Zn, Mg and vitamins B1, B2, Niacin, Folic acid, B12, C, A and D. Our results show that the usual diet provides intakes below the recommended values in the case of Zn, Fe, Folates and vitamin D. Nevertheless, children studied do not show deficiency signs.