Nutritional objectives for the Spanish population. Consensus from the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present the development of the Nutritional Objectives for the Spanish Population. Preparation of draft documents contributed by different working groups was followed by a consensus meeting held in Bilbao on 5-7 October 2000, hosted by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition and sponsored by the World Health Organisation.Establishing nutritional guidelines was conducted by: (1) analysing current food and nutritional data from nutritional surveys, for intermediate objectives; and (2) reviewing current scientific knowledge for final objectives.The objectives include intermediate and ultimate figures, and comprise percentage of energy from macronutrients and fatty acids, fruit and vegetable consumption, frequency of sweets, physical activity and body mass index, folate, calcium, sodium, fluoride and iodine intake, dietary fibre, cholesterol, alcohol and duration of breastfeeding.The nutritional objectives for the Spanish population create a rational framework for the development of dietary guidelines and nutritional policies in Spain, within a Mediterranean context.