Assessment of dietary intake among Moroccan women and Surinam men.

Objective: To establish a method for food consumption data collection in ethnic groups in the Netherlands.
Methods: Two pilot studies have been carried out, one among Moroccan women and one among Surinam men. First, focus group discussions were held to obtain background information from members of the target population. For food consumption assessment 2 X 24-h recall was chosen. Furthermore, background information on age, place of birth, frequency of visits to Morocco or Surinam, Dutch language skills, meal pattern, food purchases and antropometric measurements were taken.
Results: It was found that the diets of both Moroccan women and Surinam men tended to approach the recommended daily intake of macronutrients more than the average intake of a Dutch person. However, reported energy and micronutrient intake on the second day of the dietary recall was lower than on the first recall day.
Conclusion: The 24-h recall is a suitable method for food consumption measurements among Moroccan and Surinam people. On the other hand, the interviewer must be aware of potential under-reporting, especially during the second recall.