Nutrition is an integral part of economic development, since it influences workers’ health and productivity. This study evaluated the usual nutrient intakes and food sources of working adults. We conducted a cross-sectional survey that involved 1264 selected working adults aged 19 to 59 years old from randomly selected job sectors. Quantitative dietary data was collected by a 2-day, non-consecutive 24 h recall, while a dietary diversity questionnaire was used to assess the types and frequency of foods consumed. Physical activity was measured using the World Health Organization global physical assessment questionnaire. The prevalence of inadequate intakes, defined as the percentage of adults with intakes less than the estimated average requirements (EAR) or acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR) were estimated using the PC—Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (PC-SIDE) program. The mean daily energy intake of working adults was 1768 kcal/day or 74% of the Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) for this age group. The percentage contribution to the total energy of fats (58%) and proteins (34%) were excessively high. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was only 30% and 40% of the recommended nutrient intake, respectively. Salt intake was 52% above the adequate intake. Nutrient inadequacy was high in almost all nutrients, including iron (99%), folate (97.9%), riboflavin (95.8%), calcium (94.7%), vitamin C (87.3%), and thiamin (76.6%). The top five food sources of energy included rice (35.6%), pork (15.1%), fats and oils (4.7%), chicken (4.4%), and bread (3.8%). Energy and nutrient intakes of working adults is extremely sub-optimal due to the consumption of few nutrient-dense foods. This may pose a triple burden of malnutrition if left unsolved.

Background: The quality of foods taken during breakfast could contribute in shaping diet quality. This study determined the regularity of breakfast consumption and breakfast quality based on the food, energy and nutrient intakes of Filipinos. Materials and methods: Data from the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) was extracted for analysis. There were 63,655 individuals comprising about 14,013 school-aged children (6–12 years old), 9,082 adolescents (13–18 years old), 32,255 adults (19–59 years old), and 8,305 elderly (60 years old and above). Two-day non-consecutive 24-h food recalls were used to measure food and nutrient intakes. Diet quality was measured using Nutrient-Rich Food Index (NRF) 9.3. The sample was stratified by age group and NRF9.3 tertiles. Results and findings: Results showed that 96 – 98% Filipinos across age groups were consuming breakfast. Children age 6–12 years have the highest NRF9.3 average score (417), followed by the elderly (347), adolescents (340), and adults (330). These scores were very low in comparison with the maximum possible NRF score which is 900. The essential nutrient intakes of respondents were significantly higher among those with the healthiest breakfast diet (Tertile 3) compared to those with the poorest breakfast diet (Tertile 1). However, participants in the healthiest breakfast diet did not meet 20% of the recommendations for calcium, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. Conclusion and recommendations: This study revealed that majority of the population are regular breakfast consumers. However, the breakfast consumed regularly by Filipinos were found to be nutritionally inadequate. And even those classified under Tertile 3 which were assumed as having a better quality of breakfast were still found to have nutrient inadequacies. Thus, the study suggests that Filipinos must consume a healthy breakfast by including nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fresh meat, and milk to provide at least 20–25% of the daily energy and nutrient intakes.