As the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) points out on its website: “the role of food in the increase or prevention of certain diseases such as cancer, obesity or cardiovascular disease is now scientifically established. In order to better prevent these diseases, it is essential to have a good knowledge of the diet and nutritional status of the French population”.
It is for this purpose that the National Food Agency carries out a national individual study of food consumption every 7 years (called INCA) under the aegis of the Ministries of Health and Agriculture. At the start of 2014, the third study of this type will be launched in the 472 municipalities that have agreed to take part. In total, 4,000 people will be able to participate in this new large-scale study, from February 6th.
Tell me how you eat…
Initially, people will receive a visit or a phone call from a person appointed by ANSES, in order to draw lots for the member of the household who will take part in the study. For the first time, the study will include children under 3 years old.
In a second step, the chosen person (or their parents) will have to describe what they eat over 3 days and answer questions about their lifestyle (physical activity, consumption of food supplements, food preparation and storage, etc. ). All data collected will obviously be strictly confidential.
With this third part of the Inca study, ANSES researchers will have more recent information to assess the impact of the third National Health Nutrition Program, launched in France in 2011.
Remember that INCA 1 took place in 1998-1999 and INCA 2 in 22006-2007. The data from the previous study were used by ANSES in particular to estimate the health risk associated with substances that may be found in food (mercury, lead and other heavy metals in water and food).
