Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Surveys Research Group » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295707
Title: Food Intakes Converted to Retail Commodities Databases 2003-08: Methodology and User Guide

Author
item Bowman, Shanthy
item Martin, Carrie
item CARLSON, JENNIFER - University Of Maryland
item Clemens, John
item LIN, BIING-HWAN - Economic Research Serivce (ERS, USDA)
item Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2013
Publication Date: 7/26/2013
Citation: Bowman, S.A., Martin, C.L., Carlson, J.L., Clemens, J.C., Lin, B-W., Moshfegh, A.J. 2013. Food Intakes Converted to Retail Commodities Databases 2003-08: Methodology and User Guide. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=21994.

Interpretive Summary: The Food Intakes Converted to Retail Commodities Database (FICRCD) is jointly produced by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Economic Research Service (ERS). The FICRCDs 2003-08 convert foods reported in What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES) 2003-2004, 2005-2006, and 2007-2008 to respective amounts of 65 food commodities. Foods within each commodity are converted to a single commodity type, even if several forms are available at the retail stores. Examples of the commodities in the FICRCDs 2003-08 include: Fluid Milk; Yogurt; Cheese; Butter; Salad and Cooking Oils; Shortening; Fruits and Vegetables presented as raw fruits or vegetables with refuse (e.g., peel, skin, core, seeds, pit, crown); Grains commodity presented as flours and uncooked rice; Meat, Poultry, and Fish commodity presented in boneless, raw forms; and all types of caloric sweeteners combined into a single Caloric Sweetener commodity. The methodology describes the process of disaggregation of survey foods, the assignment of disaggregated foods to appropriate commodity types, and the application of conversion factors to convert these foods to respective amounts of each the 65 food commodities. The FICRCDs 2003-08 includes the amounts of 65 food commodities present per 100 grams of each survey food. The FICRCDs 2003-08 can be linked to the respective WWEIA, NHANES 2003-2004, 2005-2006, and 2007-2008 which enable analysts to estimate food commodities consumed by Americans from different socio-economic and demographic backgrounds, the distribution of commodities among foods eaten by Americans, and in some instances the cost of foods. The FICRCD has the potential to link nutrition, agriculture, and economics, and is useful to economists, food growers, food producers, nutrition educators, and policymakers, to name a few.

Technical Abstract: The purpose for developing the Food Intakes Converted to Retail Commodities Databases (FICRCD) 2003-08 is to convert foods consumed in What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA, NHANES) 2003-2004, 2005-2006, and 2007-2008 to respective amounts of retail-level food commodities. Food commodities are defined as that available for purchase in retail stores, supermarkets, or other retail food outlets. There are eight major commodity categories in the FICRCDs 2003-08: Dairy Products; Fats and Oils; Fruits; Grains; Meat, Poultry, Fish and Eggs; Nuts; Caloric Sweeteners; and Vegetables, Dry Beans and Peas (legumes). Each major category has several components. Hence, the FICRCDs 2003-08 contain a total of 65 retail-level food commodities. Foods within each commodity are converted to a single commodity type even if the food is available in different forms at the retail stores. Hence, there are no canned, frozen, or dried carrots in the FICRCDs 2003-08; instead, any type of carrots reported in the surveys are converted to raw carrots commodity. Similarly, nonfat dry milk is converted to fluid skim milk. The methodology describes the process of disaggregation of foods, their assignments to appropriate commodities, and the application of conversion factors that converts foods to respective amounts of commodities. The appendices include a list of foods included in each commodity, conversion factors used to create the FICRCDs 2003-08, and the names of the variables in the 100 grams FICRCDs 2003-08.