Data from: Is there still a French eating model? A taxonomy of eating behaviors in adults living in the Paris metropolitan area in 2010

Background: Meal times in France still represent an important moment in everyday life. The model of three rigorously synchronized meals is still followed by a majority of people, while meal frequencies have flattened in other European or North-American countries. We aimed to examine the “French model” of eating behavior by identifying and characterizing distinct meal patterns. Methods: Analyses were based on data from the SIRS cohort, a representative survey of the adult population in the Paris area. A clustering algorithm was applied to meal variables (number, time, location, with whom the meal is usually shared and activities associated with meals). Regression models were used to investigate associations between patterns and socio-demographic, social environment and perceived food quality variables. Results: Five different patterns were identified among 2994 participants. The first three types (prevalence 33%, 17% and 24%) followed a three-meal pattern, with differences in locations and social interactions mainly related to time constraints and age. More marked differences were observed in the remaining two types. In the fourth type (prevalence 13%), individuals ate one or two meals per day, often with an irregular schedule, at home and in front of the television. They frequently were unemployed and had lower income. Breakfast skipping, increased snacking and a low adherence to dietary guidelines suggested that this behavior might have health consequences. In the fifth type (12%), people also ate two meals or less per day, possibly with the same consequences on food quality. However, meals were often taken outside the home, in social settings, and individuals following this pattern were typically active, integrated, young people, suggesting that this pattern might be an adaptation to a modern urban lifestyle. Conclusions: While a majority of the population still follows the three-meal pattern, our analysis distinguished two other eating patterns associated with specific sociological profiles.

研究背景：用餐时段仍是法国日常生活中至关重要的组成部分。当下多数法国人仍遵循严格同步的三餐模式，而其他欧洲或北美国家的用餐频率已趋于平稳。本研究旨在通过识别并刻画不同的用餐模式，探究饮食行为的“法国模式”。
研究方法：本研究基于巴黎地区成年人群代表性调查——SIRS队列（SIRS cohort）的数据开展分析。针对用餐相关变量（用餐次数、用餐时间、用餐地点、共同用餐对象及用餐伴随活动）应用聚类算法，并通过回归模型探究饮食模式与社会人口学特征、社会环境及主观感知食品质量变量之间的关联。
研究结果：最终在2994名参与者中识别出5种不同的饮食模式。前三种类型（占比分别为33%、17%与24%）遵循三餐模式，其用餐地点与社交互动的差异主要与时间约束及年龄相关。剩余两种类型则呈现出更为显著的差异。第四种类型（占比13%）的参与者每日仅进食1至2餐，且用餐时间通常不规律，多在家中且伴随看电视的活动；该群体多处于失业状态，收入水平较低。不吃早餐、零食摄入增加以及对膳食指南依从性较低等特征，提示此类饮食行为可能会对健康产生不良影响。第五种类型（占比12%）的参与者同样每日进食2餐或更少，其食品质量相关健康影响也类似，但此类人群的用餐多在户外社交场合进行，且该模式的遵循者多为活跃、社交融入度高的年轻人，提示该饮食模式可能是对现代都市生活方式的一种适应。
研究结论：尽管多数人群仍遵循三餐模式，但本研究通过分析识别出另外两种与特定社会人口学特征相关的饮食模式。