A dietary survey of an isolated population in the UK: the islanders of Orkney.

Isolated communities, such as those in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have a dietary pattern and lifestyle which may differ from the rest of the country. We have studied the diets of 118 Orkney Islanders (78 women, 40 men) over 2 non-consecutive weeks, using a semi-weighed methodology. 'High tea', soups, fish, potatoes and bakery goods were features of the traditional dietary pattern. Fresh fruit and vegetable tended to be low, and intakes of vitamin C and, to a lesser extent, dietary fibre, were low in relation to energy. Energy intakes of men were consistent with an active lifestyle, while fat provided 42 per cent of the energy from food. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the COMA recommendations and the prevalence of heart disease in this region of Britain.