Dietary nutrient intake comparisons for rural and urban Russian boys, ages 6, 9, and 15 years, living in St. Petersburg and surrounding areas.

Dietary intake data were gathered on 123 rural and 111 urban males, ages 6, 9, and 15 years, living in and near St. Petersburg, Russia. Data were analyzed to estimate intakes of kilocalories, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and percentage of kilocalories from protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Comparisons were made between nutrient intakes of urban and rural subjects; intakes were also compared with the Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDI) of the USSR Research Institute of Nutrition. There were no significant differences between rural and urban boys in energy intake at any age. Urban boys consumed more vitamin C at ages 6 and 9, had higher intakes of protein, calcium, and niacin at age 9, and consumed more protein at age 15. Rural boys had higher intakes of riboflavin and calcium than urban boys at age 6. Urban boys consumed larger proportions of energy as carbohydrate at age 6, protein at age 9, and both protein and fat at age 15 than rural subjects. Rural boys had higher proportions of kilocalories from fat at age 6 and carbohydrate at age 15 than urban boys. Mean nutrient intakes below the RDI were: energy for rural boys at 9 and 15 years; iron for rural subjects at ages 6 and 9 and urban boys at age 6; calcium for rural and urban boys at all ages; vitamin C for rural subjects at ages 6 and 9; vitamin A for rural and urban boys at age 15; and protein for rural boys at age 15. At age 6, rural boys had nutrient intakes superior to those of urban boys; urban nutrient intakes were better than rural at ages 9 and 15. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.