Dietary consumption data obtained by food weighing for 539 households in Taiwan in 1980-1981 were used to search for foods predictive of nutrient intake. The average per capita nutrient intake in each household was calculated for total calories, protein, fat and fatty acids (saturated fatty acids, oleic acid and unsaturated fatty acids). Stepwise multiple regression analysis was carried out to reveal the relative importance of each of 405 food items in the dietary survey data for predicting nutrient intake. We found that as few as seven to 20 food items could account for a large proportion of the variability of macronutrient intake in this population. These lists of foods were the minimum needed to categorize an individual's nutrient intake for epidemiological studies in Taiwan. The types and amounts of cooking oils (important predictors of fat and calories) added to the dishes were found to vary from family to family, and should be considered in designing dietary questionnaires for Chinese in other societies.

Dietary consumption data obtained by food weighing for 539 households in Taiwan in 1980-1981 were used to search for predictor foods of individual intake of several vitamins and calcium. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was carried out on food items that were univariately and significantly associated with nutrient intakes, to screen for the important predictors. Less than ten foods were enough to explain more than 90% of the interperson variation for vitamin A, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2. For vitamin C and calcium, 20 food items could explain only 87% of the variation. Salt, brown sugar, and soy bean sauce were selected among calcium predictors. The information on foods predictive of nutrient intake is useful in designing food frequency questionnaires and materials for nutrition education. Although this paper provides such information for Chinese living in Taiwan, some issues described (such as the need to assess spices) may have been overlooked and could be generalized to populations using stir-frying as a major cooking method.