Assessing eating patterns-an emerging research topic in nutritional sciences: introduction to the symposium.

In order to stimulate food habit research in nutritional sciences, in 1994 the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) established Committee II/2 on Nutrition and Food Habits, which has the charge "to review the impact of changing food choice and habits on nutritional status". Within this broad task, priority has been given to methodological aspects of studies on the spatio-temporal structure of food and drink intake. Some principles of the study of eating patterns and the status of this research topic nutrition are described as an introduction to selected papers of a workshop on "Methodology to Identify and to Assess Eating Patterns" organized by the IUNS committee and held during the 16th International Congress of Nutrition in Montreal (Canada) on 28 July 1997.