OBJECTIVETo describe the current status and trend of food consumption among Chinese residents.

METHODS23,470 households including 68,962 subjects were randomly sampled from 132 counties in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. A 24-hour dietary recall method for 3 consecutive days was used to collect information on food intake, but the condiment intake was collected by weighting method.

RESULTSThe average food consumption per reference man per day of Chinese people included 402 g (urban/rural: 366 g/ 416 g) cereals; 276 g (urban/rural: 252 g/ 286 g) vegetables; 45 g (urban/rural:69 g/36 g) fruits; 79 g (urban/rural: 105 g/69 g) meats; 30 g (urban/rural:45 g/24 g) fishery products; 24 g (urban/rural: 33 g/20 g) eggs; 27 g(urban/rural: 66 g/ 11 g) dairy; 16 g legume; 42 g (urban/rural:44 g/41 g) edible oil; 12 g (urban/rural: 11 g/12 g) salt; 9 g (urban/rural: 11 g/8 g) soy sauce.

CONCLUSIONSFor Chinese residents, the quality of diet had been improved and consumptions of animal products, milk, and edible oil had been increased, but the consumptions of dairy and legume products intake was still low which called for improvement. The unbalance was characterized as the downward trend in cereal, vegetable and fruit consumption but significant increased in animal products and oil intake among urban people. Dietary pattern of some subjects adopted a "high energy density" diet. Double burdens from under-nutrition and over-nutrition should both be considered as problems which asked for attention by the government and researchers.