Diet and nutrition: key data sources
Listed below are the key sources for data on diet and nutritional behaviour in Scotland, along with a brief description of their strengths and weaknesses as information sources. Most of these surveys were examined in the review of diet and nutrition surveys commissioned by the Working Group on Monitoring Scottish Dietary Targets (see Chapter 4 and Appendix 3 of the Working Group report for more detail on each of the surveys). 'A Review of Food Consumption and Nutrient Intakes from National Surveys in Scotland: Comparison to the Scottish Dietary Targets' 
(706 KB) published in September 2006, also examined the usefulness of various surveys.
Note: The Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS) / National Food Survey (NFS) contain the most appropriate data for measuring progress towards the Scottish Dietary Targets.
Expenditure and Food Survey (EFS)
Strengths: able to measure most of the Scottish dietary targets; allows Scotland/UK comparisons.
Weaknesses: relatively small sample size (but can be accumulated over a number of years); questions relate to households rather than individuals in households, and exclude children.
Strengths: large sample size improves validity and allows sub-analyses by population group/geographical area; wider scope allows analyses of combinations of risk factors, and relationships with health outcomes.
Weaknesses: eating habits module does not look at all food types, is unable to measure nutrients and has limited data on portion size. National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
Strengths: allows UK comparisons.
Weaknesses: very small sample size in Scotland (although there are plans to boost the sample size in future surveys), and low response rates. Also, until now survey findings have related to different age groups in different survey years, therefore unable to look at trends over time.
Health Behaviours of School-age Children (HBSC)
Strengths: allows limited analysis of diet in relation to other health behaviours; international comparisons.
Weaknesses: limited questions on eating behaviour.
Strengths: allows limited analysis of diet in relation to other lifestyle factors.
Weaknesses: only a few questions on eating behaviour.
Local NHS board health and lifestyle surveys
Strengths: sub-Scotland data and facility to link to other lifestyle factors.
Weaknesses: variations in data collected across areas and timescales prohibit comparisons across areas; low response rates for some surveys reduce validity of results (see NHS board websites).
Strengths: annual data, therefore good for looking at trends.
Weaknesses: limited dietary assessment.
TNS Superpanel
Strengths: allows UK comparisons; large amount of historical data available.
Weaknesses: self-selecting sample; based on TV regions so Scottish data includes some of Borders area in England.
Food Standard Agency Surveys of Consumer Attitudes
Strengths: annual survey, therefore useful for examining trends in consumer attitudes.
Weaknesses: limited detail on actual dietary behaviour
Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS)
Strengths: good representation of the low income population in the UK, allows comparisons with other uk surveys, provides evidence on the eating habits, nutrient intakes and nutrition-related health of people on low income.
Weaknesses: one-off survey.
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