People in Beijing are consuming less vegetable oil and salt, but their dietary patterns still do not meet the recommendations of national nutrition authorities, a survey found.

Beijing residents take in an average of 36.2 grams of vegetable oil per person per day, and 9.7 grams of salt per person per day, according to a survey conducted from 2010 to 2012. The survey results were released on Thursday by the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention after two years of analysis.

The average daily intake of vegetable oil fell by 33.7 percent and salt by 27.6 percent compared with a survey completed in 2002, the last time a survey on the intake of food and nutrition by Beijing residents was conducted.

Zeng Xiaopeng, deputy director of the Beijing disease control center, said he was pleasantly surprised by the survey's results.

"It shows that the government has done very well in reducing the intake of oil and salt," he said.

In 2008, the city distributed to local families an oil pot with recommended measurements and a salt spoon with a volume of two grams, in an attempt to help people control their daily intake of oil and salt, according to Zhao Yao, director of the center's Nutrition and Food Health Institution.

However, the intake of vegetable oil and salt still exceeds the maximum amount recommended in the Guide on Diet for Chinese Residents, which was formulated by the Chinese Nutrition Society.

The guide says that one should consume no more than 30 grams of cooking oil and 6 grams of salt per day.

Additionally, the survey found, the daily intake per person of cereals and other foods such as rice, flour, sweet potatoes and oats, has dropped by 15.4 percent from the figures in 2002, to 335.7 grams.

This amount falls within the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society, which says that one should limit consumption of such foods to between 250 and 400 grams per day.

However, Zhao said, many people in Beijing consume less than 250 grams of such food per day.

This is one reason why fat contributes more than is reasonable to the energy intake of people in Beijing, while carbohydrates contribute less energy than recommended, posing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, she said.

Zeng, the center's deputy director, said: "According to the World Health Organization, fat should contribute 20 to 30 percent of one's energy intake. But the survey shows that its contribution is 34.5 percent for Beijing residents. Also, the WHO recommends that carbohydrates should account for 55 to 65 percent of one's energy intake. But our survey shows that its contribution is 52.9 percent for Beijing residents."

"Many people now tend to eat fewer cereals in an attempt to lose weight, and they eat more non-staple foods," said Zhao, the nutritionist. "Sometimes even I choose to eat fewer cereals when I eat too many dishes in a buffet."

Zeng said: "The traditional dietary pattern for most Chinese people contains a high level of carbohydrates and dietary fiber, and a low level of animal fat, which is in line with the standard of a healthy diet. However, the survey shows that the dietary pattern for Beijing residents is changing in the opposite direction."

wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn