A Study on Bread Consumption of Well-Educated Individuals in Turkey: A Sample of University Staff

Abstract

Background and Objective: Bread is a most basic food item consumed commonly all over the world. Bread consumption habits mostly reflects lifestyle and the type and amount of the consumed bread varies with the changes in socioeconomic, cultural and educational conditions of societies. Previously, the bread consumption habits of the Turkish people were evaluated with different local and national studies. This study aimed to determine the bread consumption habits of well-educated individuals and the amount of nutrients provided from bread consumption. Materials and Methods: All academic staff members and civil servants, working in Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, included for the study. Within the scope of the study, a questionnaire including bread consumption habits was applied. Bread consumption and bread types in 24 h dietary recall were recorded and, energy and nutrient intake from bread consumption were analysed by a food analysis software. Results: The percentage of white bread consumers was 50.0%. This rate was 58.0% for men and 36.1% for women. The mean amount of bread consumption was 147.3±83.98 g for men and 86.5±47.92 g for women respectively. In addition, daily dietary intake of energy, carbohydrate, fiber, thiamine, vitamin B6, folate and sodium from bread consumption in men significantly higher than those in women. Carbohydrate intake from bread consumption provides averagely 54.7% of adequate intake of carbohydrate for men. This averagely rate was 31.6% in women. Moreover, bread consumption provided adequate micronutrient intake (AI) in men significantly higher than in women. Conclusion: The amounts of bread consumption of the present study are lower than that of the local and national studies. So, it is clear that education level is important for bread consumption awareness. Government-sponsored educational activities are thought to be able to change people's bread consumption habits significantly.