The core diet of lower‐economic class women in Georgia

Diet histories were obtained from 114 women attending public heatlth clinics in ten counties in northeast Georgia in 1975. Analysis of these data showed a rather simple pattern of food intake. The core diet, or constant part, was made up of only 24 percent of the food items, but provided 69 percent of the diet energy. This core diet consisted of snack foods, cereals, milk, meats, fruit and beverages. Although there were minor differences between black and white cultural groups, the diet was consistent with respect to specific items and amounts present. The secondary food items, some 33 percent of the foods consumed, provided 27 per cent of the diet energy. These were influenced considerably more by cultural differences. The remaining 43 percent of the food items in the group diet contributed only four percent of the diet energy and were of little significance in relation to any nutrient. KEY WORDS: core diet; cultural differences; eating habit patterns; food choices; food frequency and poverty diets.