menuCH - Swiss Nutrition Survey 2014-2015

ISRCTN	ISRCTN16778734
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16778734
Protocol serial number	26/13
Sponsors	Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office
Funders	Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health

Submission date: 14/07/2017
Registration date: 27/07/2017
Last edited: 01/05/2025

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
In the past Switzerland has lacked nationally representative information to evaluate diet, nutrition and food safety. To fill in the gap, the first national nutrition survey called ‘menuCH’ was conducted in 2014-2015. The primary aim of the cross-sectional survey was to determine what and how much people living in Switzerland eat and drink, when and where. The Institutes of Social and Preventive Medicine in Lausanne (IUMSP) and Bern (ISPM) developed and conducted menuCH on behalf of Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office and Federal Office of Public Health, which funded the survey. Results on anthropometric characteristics and indicators of eating and physical activity behaviours have been published in a public report in English. Further results on dietary intakes at food and nutrient levels are to be published.

Who can participate?
Adults aged 18 to 75 living in Switzerland

What does the study involve?
Participants complete a questionnaire about physical activity and diet, and attend a study visit where they have their height and weight measured. Participants’ food consumption is mainly assessed via a multiple-pass 24-hour dietary recalls (24HDR), using an international validated software (GloboDiet®). Participants are followed up with a phone call for a second 24HDR around two to six weeks later.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no benefits or risks with participating.

Where is the study run from?
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine of Lausanne (IUMSP) and Bern (ISPM) / Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (Switzerland)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2012 to December 2016

Who is funding the study?
1. Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (Switzerland)
2. Federal Office of Public Health (Switzerland)

Who is the main contact?
menuCH team
ernaehrungserhebung@blv.admin.ch

Contact information

Prof Murielle Bochud
Scientific

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP)
Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
Biopôle 2
Route de la Corniche 10
Lausanne
1010
Switzerland

Phone	+41 21 314 08 99
Email	murielle.bochud@chuv.ch

Mr Urs Stalder- menuCH team
Public

Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office
Risk Assessment Division
Schwarzenburgstrasse 155
Bern
3003
Switzerland

Phone	+41 58 463 30 33
Email	ernaehrungserhebung@blv.admin.ch

Study information

Primary study design	Observational
Study design	Nationwide cross-sectional nutrition survey of a stratified random sample of the population
Secondary study design	Cross sectional study
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Switzerland - National Nutrition Survey menuCH 2014-2015
Study acronym	menuCH
Study objectives	The aim of the National Nutrition Survey menuCH is to define what and how much people living in Switzerland eat and drink, when and where in order to evaluate better the nutrition situation, keep high and improve food safety, detect faster possible risks associated with food, verify and adapt if necessary the present dietary recommendations, improve the food range and composition, develop and implement effective nutrition strategies and measures to promote health and quality of life, support research and development in the fields of nutrition, food and behaviour sciences with up-to-date and nationally representative data.
Ethics approval(s)	Cantonal ethics committee of Vaud, 21/02/2013, ref: Protocol 26/13
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Population-based nutrition study
Intervention	Trained dietitians/nutritionists conduct two interviews per participant in German, French or Italian. The first interview is conducted face-to-face and the second is conducted by phone two to six weeks later. The face-to-face interview consists of six elements: 1. Introduction and consent 2. Completeness check of the dietary behaviour and physical activity questionnaire 3. Anthropometric measurements 4. 24-hour dietary recalls (24HDR) using the international validated software GloboDiet® (40-60 minutes) 5. Schedule of the second phone-administrated 24HDR 6. Closure The phone interview consists of only elements 4 and 6.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure(s)	1. Food consumption is assessed by two non-consecutive multiple-pass 24-hour dietary recalls 2. Body weight and height is measured to the nearest 0.1 kg and cm, respectively following WHO guidelines using a calibrated Seca 701 scale, equipped with a Seca 220 telescopic measuring rod (Seca GmbH, Hamburg, Germany). Body weight and height are used to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) 3. Mean waist and hip circumferences are calculated out of three measures to the nearest 0.1 cm using a Gulick I unstretchable tape, equipped with a dynamometer (North Coast Medical, CA, USA)
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Cooking and eating habits, nutrition knowledge, and physical activity (short form IPAQ), socioeconomic and demographic characteristics are assessed via a self-administered 49-item paper questionnaire
Completion date	31/12/2016

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Healthy volunteer
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	2000
Key inclusion criteria	1. Non-institutionalized residents of Switzerland 2. Aged 18 to 75 years
Key exclusion criteria	Institutionalized or unable to communicate in the national language
Date of first enrolment	27/01/2014
Date of final enrolment	28/02/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Switzerland

Study participating centres

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP) / Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)

Route de la Corniche 10
Lausanne
1010
Switzerland

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) / University of Bern

Finkenhubelweg 11
Bern
3012
Switzerland

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	Yes
IPD sharing plan summary	Stored in repository
IPD sharing plan	All survey data are available on: https://menuch.iumsp.ch/ (or directly here: https://menuch.iumsp.ch/index.php/catalog/4)

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	Pilot study results (published )	01/03/2017		Yes	No
Results article	Main study results (published )	25/10/2017		Yes	No
Results article	Alcohol-Drinking Levels	16/06/2022	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Caffeine consumption	20/12/2019	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Cancer-protective lifestyle adherence	14/09/2023	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Dietary Patterns	29/12/2018	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Differences between menuCH participants with different meat-eating habits	07/09/2020	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Does diet map with mortality?	14/04/2022	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Processed meat and association with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors	23/10/2019	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Ultraprocessed food intake	25/10/2022	05/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Breakfast composition and abdominal obesity	20/11/2018	06/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Contribution of diet quality to socioeconomic inequalities in obesity	12/07/2019	06/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Sugar consumption	19/05/2019	06/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Using different dietary assessment methods	21/03/2022	06/09/2023	Yes	No
Results article	Organic food intake	24/04/2025	01/05/2025	Yes	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Study website	Study website	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Editorial Notes

01/05/2025: Publication reference added.
06/09/2023: Publication references added.
10/07/2018: Publication references added.
10/08/2017: Internal review.