Previous (mainly population-based) studies have suggested the health benefits of the elective, lifelong inclusion of whole-grain foods in the diet, forming the basis for public health recommendations to increase whole grain consumption. Currently, there is limited evidence to assess how public health recommendations can best result in longer-term improvements in dietary intake. The present study aimed to assess the impact of a previous 16-week whole-grain intervention on subsequent, elective whole grain consumption in free-living individuals. Participants completed a postal FFQ 1, 6 and 12 months after the end of the whole-grain intervention study period. This FFQ included inputs for whole-grain foods commonly consumed in the UK. Whole grain consumption was significantly higher (approximately doubled) in participants who had received whole-grain foods during the intervention (P< 0·001) compared with the control group who did not receive whole-grain foods during the intervention. This increased whole grain consumption was lower than whole grain intake levels required by participants during the intervention period between 60 and 120 g whole grains/d. Aside from a significant increase (P< 0·001) in NSP consumption compared with control participants (mean increase 2–3 g/d), there were no obvious improvements to the pattern of foods of the intervention group. The results of the present study suggest that a period of direct exposure to whole-grain foods in non-habitual whole-grain food consumers may benefit subsequent, elective dietary patterns of whole grain consumption. These findings may therefore aid the development of future strategies to increase whole grain consumption for public health and/or food industry professionals.

Nutritional recommendations call for balanced, diversified consumption of starchy foods and increased whole-grain food intake. Their efficiency may depend on sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, for which little information is available. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics and starchy food consumption in a large general population of French adults. Dietary intake was assessed using at least six 24-h dietary records collected, during a 2-year period, from 4574 men and women aged 45–60 years who participated in the Supplémentation en VItamines Minéraux et AntioXydants cohort study in 1995–7. Compliance with the recommendation ( ≥ 3 and < 6 servings/d), non-consumption of whole-grain products, variety and daily cost were compared across sociodemographic and socioeconomic categories using logistic regression and covariance analyses. About 55 % of subjects complied with the starchy food recommendation, with little variation across sociodemographic characteristics. Consumption of whole-grain products was less likely in men (P = 0·001), in subjects with a lower education level (P-trend = 0·01) and in those belonging to intermediate occupational categories (P = 0·02). The variety of starchy food intake increased with education level (P-trend = 0·0002) and was lowest for manual workers (P = 0·03). The proportion of daily food cost spent on starchy foods decreased with occupational category (P < 0·0001), and was higher in rural areas (P = 0·0004). The starchy food budget spent on potatoes decreased with the educational level (P-trend = 0·007), whereas it increased for rice and unsweetened breakfast cereals (P-trend = 0·001 for both). Public recommendations concerning starchy food variety and whole-grain intake should specifically target subjects with a lower education level and/or occupational category.