Journal articles on the topic 'Energy consumption in Ireland'
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McGowan, MJ, KE Harrington, M. Kiely, PJ Robson, MBE Livingstone, and MJ Gibney. "An evaluation of energy intakes and the ratio of energy intake to estimated basal metabolic rate (EI/BMRest) in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey." Public Health Nutrition 4, no. 5a (October 2001): 1043–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2001185.
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AbstractObjectiveTo examine energy intakes (El), their ratio to estimated basal metabolic rate (BMRest) and the contribution of food groups to energy intake in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey.Design and settingRandom sample of adults from the populations of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Food intake data were collected using a 7-day food diary. Body weight and height were measured and EI/BMRest was calculated from reported energy intake and estimated basal metabolic rate. Dieting practices were assessed as part of a self-administered questionnaire.ResultsMean energy intake in men was 11.0 MJ and in women was 7.6 MJ, which is comparable to reported energy intakes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over a decade ago. Mean EI/BMRest was 1.38. This increased to 1.42 after the exclusion of dieters and those who were unwell, but still remained less than the established cut-off of 1.53. EI/BMRest was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in men than in women and decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing BMI in both sexes. The four food groups that contributed 50% of energy in men and women were meat and meat products, breads and rolls, potatoes and potato products, and biscuits, cakes, pastries and puddings.ConclusionsEnergy intakes have not changed remarkably in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland in the last 10 years, but the mean EI/BMRest of 1.38 suggests that energy underreporting occurred. EI/BMRest was lower in women and in the overweight/obese. Additional multivariate analysis of the data is needed to identify more clearly subgroups of the population reporting lower than expected energy intakes and to evaluate the effect of low energy reporting on the consumption of various foods and food groups.
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Harrington, KE, MJ McGowan, M. Kiely, PJ Robson, MBE Livingstone, PA Morrissey, and MJ Gibney. "Macronutrient intakes and food sources in Irish adults: findings of the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey." Public Health Nutrition 4, no. 5a (October 2001): 1051–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2001186.
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AbstractObjectiveTo describe macronutrient intakes and food sources of the adult population in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and to assess adherence of this population to current dietary recommendations.DesignA cross-sectional food consumption survey collected food intake data using a 7-day food diary.SettingNorthern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland between October 1997 and October 1999.SubjectsOne thousand three hundred and seventy-nine adults aged 18–64 years (662 males and 717 females).ResultsMean daily energy intakes in men were 11 MJ per day, 15.5% was derived from protein, 34.8% from fat, 43.5% from carbohydrate and 5.9% from alcohol. Corresponding figures for women were 7.6 MJ per day, 15.6%, 35.6%, 45.1% and 3.5%. When alcohol energy was excluded the contribution of fat and carbohydrate to energy did not differ between men and women. When compared with existing dietary recommendations, 93% of men and 86% of women had protein intakes above the Population Reference Intake. Two approaches were used to assess adherence to the fat and carbohydrate dietary recommendations: (1) the proportion of individuals in the population attaining these dietary targets and (2) the proportion of the population that was included in a 'compliers' group which had a group mean equal to these dietary targets. Thirty-three per cent of men and 34% of women met the target of 35% of food energy from fat and 78% of men and 80% of women comprised the ‘compliers’ group having a group mean of 35% of food energy from fat. Twentythree per cent of men and 27% of women met the target of 50% of food energy from carbohydrate and 56% of men and 62% of women made up the 'compliers' group. Meat and meat products were the main source of fat (23%) and protein (37%), and bread and rolls (25%) were the main source of carbohydrate.ConclusionA reduction in dietary fat intake remains an important public health issue in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. An increase in carbohydrate intake and attention to the rise in alcohol intake is also warranted.
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Gholami, Roya, Ali Emrouznejad, Yazan Alnsour, Hasan B. Kartal, and Julija Veselova. "The Impact of Smart Meter Installation on Attitude Change Towards Energy Consumption Behavior Among Northern Ireland Households." Journal of Global Information Management 28, no. 4 (October 2020): 21–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jgim.2020100102.
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The continuous development of energy management systems, coupled with a growing population, and increasing energy consumption, highlights the necessity to develop a deep understanding of household energy consumption behavior and interventions that facilitate behavioral change. Using a data mining segmentation technique, 2,505 Northern Ireland households were segmented into four distinctive profiles, based on their energy consumption patterns, socio-demographic, and dwelling characteristics. The change in attitude towards energy consumption behavior was analyzed to evaluate the impact of smart meter feedback as well. The key finding was 81% of trial participants perceived smart meters to be helpful in reducing their energy consumption. In addition, we found that the potential to reduce energy bills and environmental concerns were the strongest motivations for behavior change.
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Kinsella, Alan, Alan Smeaton, Barry Hurley, Barry O’Sullivan, and Helmut Simonis. "Optimizing Energy Costs in a Zinc and Lead Mine." Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence 30, no. 2 (February 18, 2016): 4022–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1609/aaai.v30i2.19079.
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Boliden Tara Mines Ltd. consumed 184.7 GWh of electricity in 2014, equating to over 1% of the national demand of Ireland or approximately 35,000 homes. Ireland’s industrial electricity prices, at an average of 13 c/KWh in 2014, are amongst the most expensive in Europe. Cost effective electricity procurement is ever more pressing for businesses to remain competitive. In parallel, the proliferation of intelligent devices has led to the industrial Internet of Things paradigm becoming mainstream. As more and more devices become equipped with network connectivity, smart metering is fast becoming a means of giving energy users access to a rich array of consumption data. These modern sensor networks have facilitated the development of applications to process, analyse, and react to continuous data streams in real-time. Subsequently, future procurement and consumption decisions can be informed by a highly detailed evaluation of energy usage. With these considerations in mind, this paper uses variable energy prices from Ireland’s Single Electricity Market, along with smart meter sensor data, to simulate the scheduling of an industrial-sized underground pump station in Tara Mines. The objective is to reduce the overall energy costs whilst still functioning within the system’s operational constraints. An evaluation using real-world electricity prices and detailed sensor data for 2014 demonstrates significant savings of up to 10.72% over the year compared to the existing control systems.
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McGookin, Connor, Brian Ó. Gallachóir, and Edmond Byrne. "A compiled dataset of the energy usage indicators and unit energy consumption values available in Ireland." Data in Brief 37 (August 2021): 107204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107204.
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Millar, Sophie, Megan O’Donoghue, Breige McNulty, Laura Kirwan, and Aideen McKevitt. "A cross-sectional observation on habitual non-alcoholic beverage consumption among adolescents from four Irish post-primary schools." Public Health Nutrition 20, no. 3 (September 26, 2016): 404–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980016002627.
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AbstractObjectiveNo up-to-date data on the dietary intake of Irish adolescents are available. The aim of the present pilot study was to obtain and compare cross-sectional information on habitual adolescent beverage consumption between four distinct post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland, in 2014–2015.DesignA cross-sectional observation study. A beverage consumption questionnaire was used to obtain data on beverage intake and influences on consumption.SettingFour post-primary mixed-sex schools in Ireland representing the following school classifications were selected for the study: urban fee-paying, urban disadvantaged, rural fee-paying and rural disadvantaged.SubjectsStudents (n 761) aged 12–18 years.ResultsData were analysed by Kruskal–Wallis (non-parametric) ANOVA to compare the distribution of beverage consumption across the schools. Water was the most highly consumed beverage among students from all four schools (median 1425 ml/d). Students from urban and rural disadvantaged schools reported a significantly higher volume of carbonated beverage intake than students from fee-paying schools. Students from an urban disadvantaged school also reported a significantly higher volume of carbonated beverage and energy drink intake compared with the other three schools. Students from an urban fee-paying school reported the highest consumption of water, while rural disadvantaged school students were the biggest consumers of tea and milk.ConclusionsSignificant differences in beverage consumption (ml/d) were reported by adolescents from four schools in Ireland. Surveillance on current beverage consumption trends among adolescents is vital to guide policies and interventions, and for appropriate targeting of resources.
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Nasiri, Elnaz, Lisandra Rocha-Meneses, Abrar Inayat, and Timo Kikas. "Impact of Policy Instruments in the Implementation of Renewable Sources of Energy in Selected European Countries." Sustainability 14, no. 10 (May 22, 2022): 6314. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14106314.
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Nowadays, great attention has been paid to alternative sources of energy that can be used as a replacement for fossil fuels and help to reduce their utilization in the overall energy mix. In Europe, the development and implementation of renewable sources of energy is regulated and supported by legal frameworks. This paper investigates the impact of European Directives and its transposition to national policies on the share of renewable sources of energy in electricity, heating and cooling, and transport in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. For this, quantitative and qualitative data were utilized. The quantitative data refer to the gross energy consumption, energy consumption for heating and cooling purposes (by category), and energy consumption in the transportation sector, while the qualitative data refer to the main directives and legal frameworks utilized to regulate the utilization and implementation of renewable energy in the selected countries. The results of this study show that the European Directives are not as effective as expected in the promotion and adoption of renewable sources of energy. Although none of the countries investigated in this paper were able to achieve the 10% share of energy produced from renewable sources for the transportation sector, certain goals were still achieved. For instance, in 2018, 6.57% of the energy utilized in the transportation sector in Denmark was from renewable sources, while in Estonia it was 3.29%, in Ireland 7.17%, in Latvia 4.73%, in Lithuania 4.33%, and in the Netherlands 9.59%. These results suggest that the current regulations should be revised and that clear, accountable, and predictable regulations should be put in place to ensure the energetic independence in Europe.
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Hennessy, Áine, Evelyn M. Hannon, Janette Walton, and Albert Flynn. "Impact of voluntary food fortification practices in Ireland: trends in nutrient intakes in Irish adults between 1997–9 and 2008–10." British Journal of Nutrition 113, no. 2 (December 17, 2014): 310–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114514003651.
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Because of the discretionary nature of voluntary food fortification in the European Union, there is a need to monitor fortification practices and consumption of fortified foods in order to assess the efficacy and safety of such additions on an ongoing basis. The present study aimed to investigate the nutritional impact of changes in voluntary fortification practices in adults aged 18–64 years using dietary intake data from two nationally representative cross-sectional food consumption surveys, the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS) (1997–9) and the National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) (2008–10). The supply of fortified foods increased between 1997–9 and 2008–10, resulting in a higher proportion of adults consuming fortified foods (from 67 to 82 %) and a greater contribution to mean daily energy intake (from 4·6 to 8·4 %). The overall nutrient profile of fortified foods consumed remained favourable, i.e. higher in starch and dietary fibre and lower in fat and saturated fat, with polyunsaturated fat, sugars and Na in proportion to energy. Women, particularly those of childbearing age, remained the key beneficiaries of voluntary fortification practices in Ireland. Continued voluntary fortification of foods has increased protection against neural tube defect-affected pregnancy by folic acid and maintained the beneficial impact on the adequacy of Fe intake. Increased consumption of fortified foods did not contribute to an increased risk of intakes exceeding the tolerable upper intake level for any micronutrient. Recent increases in voluntary fortification of foods in Ireland have made a favourable nutritional impact on the diets of adults and have not contributed to an increased risk of adverse effects.
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Mitrovic, Djordje, Miguel Crespo Chacón, Aida Mérida García, Jorge García Morillo, Juan Antonio Rodríguez Diaz, Helena M. Ramos, Kemi Adeyeye, Armando Carravetta, and Aonghus McNabola. "Multi-Country Scale Assessment of Available Energy Recovery Potential Using Micro-Hydropower in Drinking, Pressurised Irrigation and Wastewater Networks, Covering Part of the EU." Water 13, no. 7 (March 25, 2021): 899. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13070899.
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Studies have shown micro-hydropower (MHP) opportunities for energy recovery and CO2 reductions in the water sector. This paper conducts a large-scale assessment of this potential using a dataset amassed across six EU countries (Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Spain, and Portugal) for the drinking water, irrigation, and wastewater sectors. Extrapolating the collected data, the total annual MHP potential was estimated between 482.3 and 821.6 GWh, depending on the assumptions, divided among Ireland (15.5–32.2 GWh), Scotland (17.8–139.7 GWh), Northern Ireland (5.9–8.2 GWh), Wales (10.2–8.1 GWh), Spain (375.3–539.9 GWh), and Portugal (57.6–93.5 GWh) and distributed across the drinking water (43–67%), irrigation (51–30%), and wastewater (6–3%) sectors. The findings demonstrated reductions in energy consumption in water networks between 1.7 and 13.0%. Forty-five percent of the energy estimated from the analysed sites was associated with just 3% of their number, having a power output capacity >15 kW. This demonstrated that a significant proportion of energy could be exploited at a small number of sites, with a valuable contribution to net energy efficiency gains and CO2 emission reductions. This also demonstrates cost-effective, value-added, multi-country benefits to policy makers, establishing the case to incentivise MHP in water networks to help achieve the desired CO2 emissions reductions targets.
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De Tommasi, Luciano, and Pádraig Lyons. "Towards the Integration of Flexible Green Hydrogen Demand and Production in Ireland: Opportunities, Barriers, and Recommendations." Energies 16, no. 1 (December 28, 2022): 352. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en16010352.
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Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2021 has set out ambitious targets for decarbonization across the energy, transport, heating and agriculture sectors. The Climate Action Plan followed the Climate Act 2021, which committed Ireland to a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050, and a reduction of 51% by 2030. Green hydrogen is recognized as one of the most promising technologies for enabling the decarbonization targets of economies across the globe, but significant challenges remain to its large-scale adoption. This research systematically investigates the barriers and opportunities to establishing a green hydrogen economy by 2050 in Ireland, by means of an analysis of the policies supporting the optimal development of an overall green hydrogen eco-system, in the context of other decarbonizing technologies, including green hydrogen production using renewable generation, distribution and delivery, and final consumption. The outcome of this analysis is a set of clear recommendations for the policymaker that will appropriately support the development of a green hydrogen market and eco-system in parallel with the development of other more mature low-carbon technologies. The analysis has been supplemented by an open “call for evidence,” which gathered relevant information about the future policy and roles of hydrogen involving the most prominent stakeholders of hydrogen in Ireland. Furthermore, the recommendations and conclusions from the research have been validated by this mechanism.
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Ó Gallachóir, B. P., M. Keane, E. Morrissey, and J. O’Donnell. "Using indicators to profile energy consumption and to inform energy policy in a university—A case study in Ireland." Energy and Buildings 39, no. 8 (August 2007): 913–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2006.11.005.
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Piippo, Sari, and Eva Pongrácz. "Sustainable Energy Solutions for Rural Communities." Proceedings 58, no. 1 (September 11, 2020): 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/wef-06910.
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The Renewable Community Empowerment in Northern Territories (RECENT) project intended to enhance the utilization of unused assets in remote and sparsely populated areas and communities. The objectives were to enhance energy efficiency, implement renewable energy solutions and help communities to have more resilient and energy efficient public infrastructures capable of handling climate change related risks. The nexus approach was used to promote the efficient management of resources, i.e., water, waste and energy, while considering the interdependencies between them. The project developed 25 pilots related to energy, energy efficiency, waste, and water solutions across five Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme (NPA) partner regions (Finland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Scotland). The project assessed energy generation and reduction potential; investment costs and payback times of the pilots. A sustainability assessment tool was also developed, to assess the environmental, social and long-term sustainability of the pilots. The combined benefit of the 25 pilots was 20 GWh/year renewable energy and saving 6070 t of CO2/year. The sustainability assessment also highlighted the social benefits to the community. The project established opportunities for new ways of providing environmental goods and services and supporting innovative infrastructures based on the nexus approach of water-energy-waste-land resources. These innovative infrastructures would be based on decentralized systems which allow for synergies between different assets. These synergistic solutions can contribute significantly to the reduction of resource consumption and related emissions and to the sustainable development of European communities.
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Burke, SJ, MJ Gibney, NA O'Dwyer, and SN McCarthy. "The influence of cereal and dairy consumption on the Irish diet: implications for developing food-based dietary guidelines." Public Health Nutrition 8, no. 3 (May 2005): 227–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2004699.
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AbstractObjectivesTo estimate the intakes of cereal and dairy products and their contribution to nutrient intakes in men and women from the Republic of Ireland with a view to formulating food-based dietary guidelines.DesignThe North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey established a database of habitual food and drink consumption using a 7-day food diary. From this database all cereal and dairy products from recipes and identifiable sources were identified and a new database was generated from which analysis of the role of cereal and dairy products in the diet was carried out.ResultsAlmost 100% of the population consumed cereal and dairy products over the course of the survey week. In general, men consumed significantly more cereal and dairy products than did women (P<0.05). Cereal products made an important contribution to the mean daily intakes of energy (26%), protein (21%), fat (13%), carbohydrate (41%), fibre (45%), iron (43%) and folate (27%). Dairy products also contributed largely to the mean daily intakes of energy (11%), protein (14%), fat (17%), calcium (48%), phosphorus (24%) and vitamin A (27%). Analysis of nutrient intakes across tertiles of cereal and dairy consumption showed that high consumers of wholemeal bread, breakfast cereals, reduced-fat milk and yoghurt had lower fat and higher carbohydrate, fibre and micronutrient intakes than low consumers of these foods.ConclusionsFindings from the present study could be used to develop effective health strategies to implement changes in cereal and dairy consumption that could alter fat, fibre and micronutrient intakes in the diet.
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Pakere, Ieva, Toms Prodanuks, Agris Kamenders, Ivars Veidenbergs, Stefan Holler, Agnese Villere, and Dagnija Blumberga. "Ranking EU Climate and Energy Policies." Environmental and Climate Technologies 25, no. 1 (January 1, 2021): 367–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2021-0027.
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Abstract The European Union (EU) has set ambitious targets to increase the overall energy efficiency and decrease the environmental impact by introducing the ‘Green Deal.’ It is an EU plan for the transition to zero greenhouse gas emissions. The overall data analyses of GHG emissions per capita and GDP value in different EU countries show that the GDP increase in 2010–2017 has not increased GHG emissions. Therefore, the link between the GDP increase through energy resource usage increase has been eliminated. However, not all of the EU 27 member states contributed to the overall EU green policy equally. The article presents the methodology for the energy and environmental performance status analyses by evaluating nine different indicators (share of renewable energy, greenhouse gases per GDP, energy intensity, primary efficiency, industry efficiency, energy consumption in households, space heating efficiency, pollutant emissions from transport and specific energy consumption of transport sector) for EU member states. Indicators have been tested through correlation analyses. The use of multidimensional Energy and climate policy indicator has been proposed to rank the performance of different EU countries. The results show that the countries with the highest score in climate and energy indicator values are Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, and Lithuania. The lowest obtained values are Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and France.
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Musiał, Wiesław, Monika Zioło, Lidia Luty, and Kamila Musiał. "Energy Policy of European Union Member States in the Context of Renewable Energy Sources Development." Energies 14, no. 10 (May 15, 2021): 2864. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14102864.
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As a consequence of increasing air pollution, the European Commission has decided to introduce special directives laying down the measures to achieve climate and energy neutrality. Renewable energy (RE) sources play an important role in the pursuit of these goals, which has been taken into account in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The aim of this article is to describe patterns and trends in the achievements of the energy policy of European Union (EU) countries in the field of renewable energy in sustainable development. The identification of leaders in this field gives the possibility to analyse actions taken by the governments of these countries and the possible implementation of the introduced solutions on the ground of individual Member States at the regional and national levels. At the beginning Main goal of energy policy on the field of renewable energy sources (RES) is to increase production from environmentally friendly sources that is why trends were determined in order to assess the rate of achievement of the national target for changes the share of energy from renewable sources in total gross energy consumption. Groups of similar countries were then identified on the basis of three indicators corresponding to the targets set in the climate and energy package. In the group of analysed countries, 14 have achieved the 2020 targets and 4 have exceeded the 2030 targets. The main renewable energy sources (RES) are biofuels, wind, and hydropower. In the assessment of the achievement of energy policy targets, the best situation was observed in the case of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. These countries have significantly increased the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption. Compared to other EU countries, they have reduced the economy’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions the most.
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Gilmer, Alan J., Mark J. McGarrity, and Vivienne Byers. "Resolving the policy paradox: the case of biofuel production in Ireland." International Journal of Energy Sector Management 10, no. 4 (November 7, 2016): 659–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijesm-07-2015-0003.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the status of policy design and policy implementation in the biofuel sector in Ireland. The focus of the work addresses the overarching operational context of the biofuel sector in Ireland and the role of different actors in shaping and resolving inconsistencies in policy outlook and practice. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative research approach involving a series of semi-structured interviews with members of the relevant sub-groups concerned. This study sought to address two questions – whether current or proposed policy is likely to affect consumption of indigenous biofuel feedstocks in the biofuel sector and what are the controlling factors in the demand for indigenous feedstocks for biofuel. Findings Outcomes suggest that while Irish government policy recognises the need to support the development of renewable energy, it also operates under a number of parallel and potentially inconsistent paradigms in relation to biofuels as a renewable energy commodity. It is contended that the outcome of this position is a lack of coherent and coordinated policy in the area of biofuel production, including second generation biofuel using indigenous feedstocks. Originality/value This paper provides a new cross sectoral perspective on the status of biofuel policy in Ireland with particular reference to second generation biofuel feedstocks. It focuses analysis on the nature of policy-operational inconsistencies and the need for a deeper ecological perspective in governance.
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Simionescu, Mihaela, Wadim Strielkowski, Nicolas Schneider, and Luboš Smutka. "Convergence behaviours of energy series and GDP nexus hypothesis: A non-parametric Bayesian application." PLOS ONE 17, no. 8 (August 4, 2022): e0271345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271345.
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With the EU Green Deal initiatives, European members seek to launch the first climate neutral continent by 2050. This paper assesses the stochastic convergence of per capita energy consumption series for an illustrative sample of 15 EU countries with memberships prior to the 2004 enlargement, using data spanning the 1970–2018 period. Results from the confidence interval subsampling (asymmetric and equal-tailed) highlight that 11 out of the 15 EU series exhibit a long-run memory behaviour, while a diverging pattern was observed for the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Italy. Finally, per capita energy use series persist but fail to reveal one of the above dynamics for Ireland and Spain. Also, findings from the non-parametric Bayesian application (ANOVA/linear Dependent Dirichlet Process (DDP) mixture model) show how economic growth operates as a converging energy consumption-enabler over the long-run, from which the EU membership cannot be excluded. In particular, we highlight how the nature of energy-GDP hypotheses vary with the stochastic properties of energy use (converging behaviour with temporary shocks, converging pattern with permanent shocks, and diverging dynamic). Finally, our conclusions overcome the well-established development stage argument as we claim that countries with similar energy convergence patterns may need to adopt similar energy policies.
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Harrington, Janas M., Catherine Perry, Eimear Keane, and Ivan J. Perry. "Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and association with weight status in Irish children: a cross-sectional study prior to the introduction of a government tax on sugar-sweetened beverages." Public Health Nutrition 23, no. 12 (May 28, 2020): 2234–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980020000014.
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AbstractObjective:To provide baseline evidence of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in a sample of Irish children prior to the introduction of the SSB tax; to identify the energy contribution of SSB to daily energy intake; and to explore the association between SSB consumption and overweight/obesity.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:Primary schools in Cork, Ireland in 2012.Participants:1075 boys and girls aged 8–11 years. SSB consumption was assessed from 3-d food diaries. BMI was used to define obesity (International Obesity Taskforce definitions). Plausible energy reporters (n 724, 68 % of total sample) were classified using Schofield equation.Results:Eighty-two per cent of children with plausible energy intake consumed SSB. Mean energy intake from SSB was 485 kJ (6 % of total kJ). Mean kilojoules from SSB increased with weight status from 443 kJ for normal-weight children to 648 kJ for children with overweight/obesity (5·8 and 7·6 % of total kJ, respectively). Mean SSB intake was significantly higher in children with overweight/obesity than normal-weight children (383 and 315 ml/d). In adjusted analyses, children consuming >200 ml/d had an 80 % increased odds of overweight/obesity compared to those consuming <200 ml/d (OR 1·8, 95 % CI 1·0, 3·5). Family socioeconomic status and lifestyle determinants, including frequency of takeaway consumption and TV viewing, were also significantly associated with SSB consumption.Conclusions:SSB account for a substantial proportion of daily energy intake and are significantly associated with child overweight/obesity. This study provides baseline data from a sample of children from which the impact of the SSB tax can be benchmarked.
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Uche, Emmanuel. "Price, income and exchange rate asymmetric elasticities of oil consumption in Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain." OPEC Energy Review 46, no. 1 (February 4, 2022): 47–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/opec.12222.
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Ribeiro, Andrea Maria N. C., Pedro Rafael X. do Carmo, Patricia Takako Endo, Pierangelo Rosati, and Theo Lynn. "Short- and Very Short-Term Firm-Level Load Forecasting for Warehouses: A Comparison of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models." Energies 15, no. 3 (January 20, 2022): 750. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en15030750.
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Commercial buildings are a significant consumer of energy worldwide. Logistics facilities, and specifically warehouses, are a common building type which remain under-researched in the demand-side energy forecasting literature. Warehouses have an idiosyncratic profile when compared to other commercial and industrial buildings with a significant reliance on a small number of energy systems. As such, warehouse owners and operators are increasingly entering energy performance contracts with energy service companies (ESCOs) to minimise environmental impact, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. ESCOs and warehouse owners and operators require accurate forecasts of their energy consumption so that precautionary and mitigation measures can be taken. This paper explores the performance of three machine learning models (Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest, and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)), three deep learning models (Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU)), and a classical time series model, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) for predicting daily energy consumption. The dataset comprises 8040 records generated over an 11-month period from January to November 2020 from a non-refrigerated logistics facility located in Ireland. The grid search method was used to identify the best configurations for each model. The proposed XGBoost models outperformed other models for both very short-term load forecasting (VSTLF) and short-term load forecasting (STLF); the ARIMA model performed the worst.
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Schellenberg, Christoph, John Lohan, and Laurentiu Dimache. "Operational optimisation of a heat pump system with sensible thermal energy storage using genetic algorithm." Thermal Science 22, no. 5 (2018): 2189–202. http://dx.doi.org/10.2298/tsci171231272s.
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Heating and cooling account for 50% of global energy consumption and 40% of energy related CO2 emissions. Progress towards renewable heating has been slow, and Ireland is expected to miss European Union 2020 emission reduction and renewable energy targets. While increased wind penetration since 2005 has reduced the carbon intensity of Ireland?s electricity by 29%, carbon intensity per used floor area is more than twice the European average, amplifying air pollution, climate change, and energy security issues. The heating and electricity sectors can benefit from the successful transition to cleaner, lower carbon electricity by electrifying heating. Electricity-driven heat pumps deliver 3-4 units of heat per unit of electricity consumed, there by offering a 76% emission reduction compared with fossil-fuelled heating. This research offers an opportunity to minimise both running cost and emissions, assisting the end user and the environment. This is achieved using the smart grid to charge a thermal store during favourable low-cost times and discharge as required later. Smart, information and communication technology-integrated, adaptive control with artificial intelligence optimises the heat pump schedule based on information from forecasting services and/or predictions of heat demand, heat pump source quality, stored heat and day-ahead electricity prices. Another opportunity is the potential to assist the electricity grid by reducing peak electricity demand as smart control favours low electricity prices and low CO2 intensity that coincide with the availability of cheap (wind) electricity. Demand is shifted from expensive peak demand periods, enabling the electrification of heating in a smart energy system.
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Joyce, Triona, Evelyn M. Hannon, Mairead Kiely, and Albert Flynn. "Analysis of the impact of fortified food consumption on overall dietary quality in Irish adults." British Journal of Nutrition 101, no. 3 (July 17, 2008): 431–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114508009859.
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The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of fortified food (FF) consumption on overall dietary quality in Irish adults. Data for this analysis was based on the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey w7/15/2008hich used a 7 d food diary to collect food and beverage intake data in a representative sample of 1379 Irish adults (662 men and 717 women) aged 18–64 years. Foods contained in the database that are fortified were identified from the presence of vitamins and/or minerals in the ingredient list on the label. The results showed that an increased level of FF consumption was associated with lower intakes (percentage food energy) of total fat and saturated fat (women only) and higher intakes of total carbohydrate, total sugars (but not added sugars) and starch. Increased consumption was associated with a more micronutrient-dense diet and a reduced prevalence of dietary inadequacies of Ca, Fe, riboflavin and folate, particularly in women. Higher FF consumption was associated with higher intakes of fruit, lower intakes of alcohol and a lower likelihood of smoking in men and women. Thus it appears that FF consumption is a marker of both better dietary quality and healthy lifestyle behaviours.
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Alshammari, Meshari, and Maeve Duffy. "Feasibility Analysis of a DC Distribution System for a 6 kW Photovoltaic Installation in Ireland." Energies 14, no. 19 (October 1, 2021): 6265. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14196265.
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Recent developments in micro-grids have led to increased interest in DC distribution due to its high efficiency in distributing energy from renewable energy sources to DC loads. This paper seeks to analyse the performance of AC and DC systems in a relatively large-sized 6 kW PV installation to determine the level of improvement in efficiency provided by DC distribution and to identify methods for further improvement. Baseline annual data for the AC system were collected from a live installation on a national school in Inis Oirr, an island off the west coast of Ireland. The results indicate that usage of a DC distribution system has the potential to reduce system losses by up to 50% as well as the ability for an annual saving in grid energy of 5% compared to the existing AC system. Moreover, the analysis reveals that DC outperforms AC distribution more in spring and autumn, when power consumption is comparable to the system production, but there is less impact in summer, when PV production is significantly higher than demand. These findings provide insights into the benefits of future DC distribution systems in individual buildings and in larger-scale micro-grids.
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Strain, J. J., P. J. Robson, M. B. E. Livingstone, E. D. Primrose, J. M. Savage, G. W. Cran, and C. A. G. Boreham. "Estimates of food and macronutrient intake in a random sample of Northern Ireland adolescents." British Journal of Nutrition 72, no. 3 (September 1994): 343–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/bjn19940038.
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Estimates of food consumption and macronutrient intake were obtained from a randomly selected population sample (2%) of 1015 adolescents aged 12 and 15 years in Northern Ireland during the 1990/1991 school year. Dietary intake was assessed by diet history with photographic album to estimate portion size. Reported median energy intakes were 11.0 and 13.1 MJ/d for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and 9.2 and 9.1 MJ/d for girls of these ages. Protein, carbohydrate and total sugars intakes as a percentage of total energy varied little between the age and sex groups and were approximately 11, 49 and 20 % respectively of daily total energy intakes. Median dietary fibre intakes were approximately 20 and 24 g/d for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and 18 and 19 g/d for girls of these ages. Major food sources of energy (as a percentage of total energy intakes) were bread and cereals (15–18 %), cakes and biscuits (12–14%), chips and crisps (13–14%), dairy products (9-ll%), meat and meat products (9–11%) and confectionery (9%). Fruit and vegetable intakes were low at about 2.5% and 1.5% respectively of total energy intakes. Median fat intakes were high at 39% of total daily energy intakes. Major food sources of fat as a percentage of total fat intakes were from the food groupings: chips and crisps (16–19%), meat and meat products (14–17%), fats and oils (14–16%), cakes and biscuits (13–16%) and dairy products (12–15%). Median intakes of saturated fatty acids were also high at approximately 15% of daily total energy intake while intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids averaged 12% of daily total energy intake. Median polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intakes were low, comprising 5.2 and 5.5 % of daily total energy intake for boys aged 12 and 15 years respectively and were lower than the PUFA intakes (59 and 6.3% of daily total energy intake) for girls of these ages. About 1.3 % for boys and 1.4 % for girls of daily total energy intake was in the form of n-3 PUFA. Ca and Mg intakes were adequate for both sexes. Based on these results, some concern about the dietary habits and related health consequences in Northern Ireland adolescents appears justified.
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Kearney, JM, KFAM Hulshof, and MJ Gibney. "Eating patterns – temporal distribution, converging and diverging foods, meals eaten inside and outside of the home – implications for developing FBDG." Public Health Nutrition 4, no. 2b (April 2001): 693–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2001156.
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AbstractObjective:A consideration of eating patterns in the general population is necessary when deriving food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) as promoting the intake of one food may indirectly result in the increased consumption of another, which may not always be desirable. A number of issues that influence meal patterns such as temporal distribution of food intake (using data from the Netherlands), converging and diverging foods (using data from Ireland) and meals eaten inside and outside of the home (using data from the UK) are examined and discussed in the context of developing FBDG.Setting:Food intake databases from three EU countries: The Netherlands, Ireland and the UK.Results:The hot meal (dinner) was found to be the main contributor to the intake of energy and macro-nutrients in the Dutch population. It was also the main contributor to the intake of all micro-nutrients with the exception of calcium where the bread meal contributed a similar proportion as the hot meal to the intake of this micronutrient. Furthermore, fruit intake showed a very different temporal distribution to vegetable intake. Exploring the convergence of certain foods in the Irish population also revealed differences between fruit and vegetables. A low correlation was shown for consumers of fruit and vegetables indicating that being a high fruit consumer did not suggest being also a high vegetable consumer. An examination of where meals were consumed among British adults showed that 71% of all meals were consumed inside the home while 29% were consumed outside. 27% of food energy and 45% of alcohol energy was consumed out of home by the total population. In addition, those eating less of their foods out of home obtained a lower proportion of their food energy from fat and protein and a higher proportion from carbohydrate. A different demographic profile was associated with eating out compared to eating in, comprising more males and younger individuals.Conclusions:Information on patterns of food intake and food habits, specifically temporal distribution, the convergence and divergence of foods and foods consumed inside and outside of the home, give a culturally specific picture of food consumption practices within a population. This should enable the development of more culturally acceptable and realistic FBDG.
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Wills, Teresa. "The Overweight Challenge and Perceptions of Weight." Boolean: Snapshots of Doctoral Research at University College Cork, no. 2014 (January 1, 2014): 195–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.33178/boolean.2014.39.
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Obesity is the most important health challenge faced at a global level and represents a rapidly growing problem to the health of populations. The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and is an emerging healthcare epidemic affecting all populations. The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2015, 2.3 billion individuals will be overweight, and more than 700 million will be obese. Obesity is a relatively new phenomenon that has increased dramatically over the past three decades. In Ireland, adults are becoming overweight and obese at an alarming rate mirroring international patterns which signals a spiralling public health issue. Changing diets, consumption of high fat and high energy foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to the generalised increase in body weight. Obesity is a chronic disease and is characterised by an accumulation of excess body fat caused by increased caloric intake and decreased energy expenditure. Obesity is associated with complications ...
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Gans, Will, Anna Alberini, and Alberto Longo. "Smart meter devices and the effect of feedback on residential electricity consumption: Evidence from a natural experiment in Northern Ireland." Energy Economics 36 (March 2013): 729–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2012.11.022.
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Bosupeng, Mpho. "The Effect of Exports on Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Policy Implications." International Journal of Management and Economics 51, no. 1 (September 1, 2016): 20–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijme-2016-0017.
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AbstractThe purpose of this study is to explore long run affiliations between exports and carbon dioxide emissions. This paper examines thirty-seven countries over the period 1960 to 2010 and uses the Toda and Yamamoto causality approach to investigate the direction of causal links. The results reveal that carbon dioxide emissions Granger cause exports in the following economies: Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Morocco, Austria and Ireland. Nonetheless, the reverse causality proved that exports Granger cause carbon dioxide emissions in twelve economies. Furthermore, the study registered bidirectional causal links between exports and carbon dioxide emissions in the USA and Burkina Faso. We conclude that countries should consider exports market demand, energy consumption and economic growth in their attempts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
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Joyce, Triona, Sinead N. McCarthy, and Michael J. Gibney. "Relationship between energy from added sugars and frequency of added sugars intake in Irish children, teenagers and adults." British Journal of Nutrition 99, no. 5 (May 2008): 1117–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114507853372.
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A WHO report on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases recommended that frequency of consumption of foods and/or drinks containing free sugars should be limited to a maximum of four times per d. In addition, they recommended a reduction in the intake of free sugars to a maximum of no more than 10 % of energy intake. These recommendations were developed with the aim of reducing the prevalence of dental caries. The aim of the present study was to establish if there is a quantitative relationship between energy from added sugars and frequency of added sugars intakes in Irish children, teenagers and adults. In addition, the intake of added and total sugars and main contributors to added sugar intakes were examined. Data for the present analysis were based on the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (n1379; aged 18–64 years), the National Children's Food Survey (n594; aged 5–12 years) and the National Teen Food Survey (n441; aged 13–17 years) which used 7 d food diaries to collect food and beverage intake data in representative samples of Irish adults, children and teenagers respectively. Results showed that in adults, frequency of intake of added sugar intake of four times per d corresponded to a mean added sugar intake of 9 %, which was similar to the WHO recommendation. In children and teenagers, a frequency of intake of four times per d corresponded to a mean added sugar intake of 14·6 and 12·4 % respectively and was therefore not in agreement with the WHO recommendation.
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Zlaugotne, Beate, Linda Ievina, Reinis Azis, Denis Baranenko, and Dagnija Blumberga. "GHG Performance Evaluation in Green Deal Context." Environmental and Climate Technologies 24, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 431–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2020-0026.
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AbstractRecently introduced European Green Deal has set a target for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. This ambitious commitment will bring a serious challenge for the EU. However, the degree of this challenge will not be the same to all EU member states. In this paper, the multi-criteria decision analysis is applied to rank eight selected EU countries (Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden) regarding GHG performance, and thus illustrate different starting points of the transition to carbon-neutrality. In parallel to the widely used indicator of GHG emissions per capita, evaluation incorporates various other criteria covering energy consumption, population size, and the use of renewable energy and fossil fuel, as well as investment and tax rates. TOPSIS analysis shows that the best GHG performance is achieved by Sweden, while Latvia ranks the lowest. The presented evaluation method could be a useful tool in planning implementation of policies to reach Green Deal settings on European, as well as on a national level.
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Galvin, MA, M. Kiely, and A. Flynn. "Impact of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal (RTEBC) consumption on adequacy of micronutrient intakes and compliance with dietary recommendations in Irish adults." Public Health Nutrition 6, no. 4 (June 2003): 351–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2002441.
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AbstractObjective:To describe the consumption of ready-to-eat-breakfast cereals (RTEBCs) in Irish adults and its impact on adequacy and safety of micronutrient intakes and compliance with dietary recommendations.Design:Analysis for this paper used data from the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey that estimated habitual food intake using a 7-day food diary in a representative sample of adults aged 18–64 years (n=1379; 662 men, 717 women).Results:Despite the small quantity consumed (mean 28.6gday-1or 4.7% of total energy intake), RTEBCs made an important contribution to the mean daily intake of carbohydrate (8.1%), starch (10.8%), dietary fibre (9.8%) and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) (10.8%) in consumers. Increased consumption was associated with a more fibre-dense diet and with greater compliance with dietary recommendations for fat, carbohydrate and NSP. Fortified RTEBCs contributed significantly to mean daily intakes of iron (18%), thiamin (14%), riboflavin (17%), niacin (15%), vitamin B6(13%), total folate (18%) and vitamin D (10%) and most of the contribution was from micronutrients added to RTEBCs. Increased consumption of fortified RTEBCs was associated with an increased nutrient density for a number of micronutrients and with a lower prevalence of dietary inadequacy of calcium, iron, riboflavin and folate, particularly in women. However, it was not associated with intakes in excess of the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for any micronutrient.Conclusions:The consumption of RTEBCs is associated with improved compliance with dietary recommendations for fat, carbohydrate and fibre, with a more micronutrient-dense diet and a reduced risk of dietary inadequacy for calcium, iron, riboflavin and folate, without increasing the risk of excessive intakes of micronutrients.
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Thorsdottir, I., BE Birgisdottir, M. Kiely, JA Martinez, and NM Bandarra. "Fish consumption among young overweight European adults and compliance to varying seafood content in four weight loss intervention diets." Public Health Nutrition 12, no. 5 (May 2009): 592–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s136898000800253x.
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AbstractBackgroundFish is considered an important part of a healthy diet and is frequently recommended as a main course at least twice a week.ObjectiveTo study the frequency of fish consumption among young overweight European adults and their compliance to varying seafood consumption in weight loss intervention diets.DesignAfter meeting the inclusion criteria, the subject’s seafood intake was evaluated. Subjects were randomly assigned into four groups and were advised energy-restricted diets for 8 weeks, including no seafood (control), cod, salmon or fish oil. A validated FFQ was used to evaluate the consumption of seafood at baseline, midpoint and endpoint, and long-chain n-3 fatty acids in blood erythrocytes were measured.SettingIceland, Ireland and Spain.SubjectsThe sample (n 324); 20–40-year-olds with BMI = 27·5–32·5 kg/m2; 85 % participated.ResultsAt baseline, 34 % of the participants reported eating fish at least twice a week as the main course. During the intervention, six participants reported that they did not finish their fish portions, 15 % of the participants consumed small amount of fish additional to the study protocol in weeks 1–4 and 23 % in weeks 5–8 (P = 0·010). Changes in erythrocyte long-chain n-3 fatty acids confirmed good compliance, with increases in the salmon (P < 0·001) and fish oil (P < 0·001) groups, smaller increase in the cod group (P = 0·037) and decrease in the control group (P = 0·030).ConclusionFrequency of fish consumption among 66 % of young European overweight adults is lower than frequently recommended. Compliance to varying seafood consumption was good. Therefore, including more fish in the diet of this group should be encouraged.
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Oprea, Simona-Vasilica, Adela Bâra, Florina Camelia Puican, and Ioan Cosmin Radu. "Anomaly Detection with Machine Learning Algorithms and Big Data in Electricity Consumption." Sustainability 13, no. 19 (October 2, 2021): 10963. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su131910963.
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When analyzing smart metering data, both reading errors and frauds can be identified. The purpose of this analysis is to alert the utility companies to suspicious consumption behavior that could be further investigated with on-site inspections or other methods. The use of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to analyze consumption readings can lead to the identification of malfunctions, cyberattacks interrupting measurements, or physical tampering with smart meters. Fraud detection is one of the classical anomaly detection examples, as it is not easy to label consumption or transactional data. Furthermore, frauds differ in nature, and learning is not always possible. In this paper, we analyze large datasets of readings provided by smart meters installed in a trial study in Ireland by applying a hybrid approach. More precisely, we propose an unsupervised ML technique to detect anomalous values in the time series, establish a threshold for the percentage of anomalous readings from the total readings, and then label that time series as suspicious or not. Initially, we propose two types of algorithms for anomaly detection for unlabeled data: Spectral Residual-Convolutional Neural Network (SR-CNN) and an anomaly trained model based on martingales for determining variations in time-series data streams. Then, the Two-Class Boosted Decision Tree and Fisher Linear Discriminant analysis are applied on the previously processed dataset. By training the model, we obtain the required capabilities of detecting suspicious consumers proved by an accuracy of 90%, precision score of 0.875, and F1 score of 0.894.
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Sgobba, A., and C. Meskell. "On-site renewable electricity production and self consumption for manufacturing industry in Ireland: Sensitivity to techno-economic conditions." Journal of Cleaner Production 207 (January 2019): 894–907. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.09.260.
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Hannon, Evelyn M., Mairead Kiely, and Albert Flynn. "The impact of voluntary fortification of foods on micronutrient intakes in Irish adults." British Journal of Nutrition 97, no. 6 (June 2007): 1177–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114507669207.
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The objective of this work was to quantify the impact of the voluntary fortification of foods on dietary intakes of vitamins and minerals of Irish adults. Foods that were voluntarily fortified were identified and pre- and post-fortification levels of micronutrients were determined from data supplied by manufacturers and food composition tables. Using food consumption data in 1379 adults aged 18–64 years, estimated using a 7-d food diary during the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey, intakes of micronutrients were determined, both including and excluding the fortification component in foods. Of approximately 3000 foods recorded as consumed, 1·9 % were fortified, mainly breakfast cereals and beverages. Median micronutrient content of fortified foods (FF) ranged from 18–33 % EC RDA per typical serving. Among consumers (65 % of men, 68 % of women), FF contributed, on average, 3·9 % (men) and 5·0 % (women) to mean daily intake (MDI) of energy. Relative to their contribution to MDI of energy, FF contribute a greater % MDI for Fe (men 16, women 19), folate (men 18, women 21), vitamins B1(men 14, women 16), B2(men 16, women 18), B6(men 12, women 15), D (men 5, women 11), B12(men 5, women 7) and niacin (men 10, women 12). Fortification significantly improved the adequacy of intake of some micronutrients, particularly of riboflavin, folate, vitamin D and Fe in women and did not contribute to an increased risk of adverse effects from excessive intake of any micronutrient.
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Gaffey, James, Helena McMahon, Emily Marsh, Kaisa Vehmas, Tiina Kymäläinen, and John Vos. "Understanding Consumer Perspectives of Bio-Based Products—A Comparative Case Study from Ireland and The Netherlands." Sustainability 13, no. 11 (May 27, 2021): 6062. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13116062.
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The bioeconomy can support Europe’s transition to a low-carbon economy and help to meet key international, European and member state sustainability targets through the provision of bio-based products and energy derived from sustainably sourced biomass. A successful implementation of a bio-based economy in Europe will, however, require a profound transformation of our production and consumption patterns. Consumer behavior will play a major role in supporting the successful transition to a bio-based economy. This paper uses a structured quantitative survey approach to gain an understanding of consumer perspectives in relation to bio-based products. Conducted among 18–75-year-old consumers in Ireland and the Netherlands, the study indicates that consumers in both countries have a relatively positive outlook regarding bio-based products, with Irish consumers showing a slightly more positive outlook. The study finds that a larger majority of Irish consumers would prefer buying bio-based products as opposed to fossil-based products, while Irish consumers also have a slightly more positive impression than Dutch consumers that their consumer choices can be beneficial for the environment.
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Finnegan, William, Eoghan Clifford, Jamie Goggins, Niall O'Leary, Alan Dobson, Neil Rowan, Liwen Xiao, et al. "DairyWater: striving for sustainability within the dairy processing industry in the Republic of Ireland." Journal of Dairy Research 85, no. 3 (August 2018): 366–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022029918000614.
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This Review describes the objectives and methodology of the DairyWater project as it aims to aid the Irish dairy processing industry in achieving sustainability as it expands. With the abolition of European milk quotas in March 2015, the Republic of Ireland saw a surge in milk production. The DairyWater project was established in anticipation of this expansion of the Irish dairy sector in order to develop innovative solutions for the efficient management of water consumption, wastewater treatment and the resulting energy use within the country's dairy processing industry. Therefore, the project can be divided into three main thematic areas: dairy wastewater treatment technologies and microbial analysis, water re-use and rainwater harvesting and environmental assessment. In order to ensure the project remains as relevant as possible to the industry, a project advisory board containing key industry stakeholders has been established. To date, a number of large scale studies, using data obtained directly from the Irish dairy industry, have been performed. Additionally, pilot-scale wastewater treatment (intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactor) and tertiary treatment (flow-through pulsed ultraviolet system) technologies have been demonstrated within the project. Further details on selected aspects of the project are discussed in greater detail in the subsequent cluster of research communications.
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Burke, SJ, SN McCarthy, NA O'Dwyer, and MJ Gibney. "Analysis of the temporal intake of cereal and dairy products in Irish adults: implications for developing food-based dietary guidelines." Public Health Nutrition 8, no. 3 (May 2005): 238–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2004698.
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AbstractObjectivesTo analyse the temporal distribution of the intake of cereal and dairy products in the Republic of Ireland.DesignThe North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey established a database of habitual food and drink consumption using a 7-day food diary. The database also recorded the time and day of food consumption. Mean intakes of cereal and dairy products were calculated for time of the day and day of the week.ResultsAt the weekend, the percentage of consumers decreased for nearly all cereal and dairy products. White bread, total cereals, full-fat milk and total dairy intakes were significantly lower at the weekend (P<0.01) compared with weekdays. Intakes of cereal and dairy products over time of the day showed clear mealtime or snacking patterns when the number of consumers was controlled for. White bread, wholemeal bread, total cereals, full-fat milk, reduced-fat milk and total dairy intakes showed mealtime peaks for morning, afternoon and evening. When examined by tertile of intake, tertile of percentage energy from fat and tertile of fibre intake, intakes of cereal and dairy products over time of the day and day of the week were similar to trends described above, regardless of the tertile.ConclusionsTemporal analysis of the intakes of cereal and dairy products did not reveal any unusual trends in this population. However, the significant methodological issues raised in this paper will be of benefit to other aspects of research in this area.
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Erisman, Jan, Allison Leach, Albert Bleeker, Brooke Atwell, Lia Cattaneo, and James Galloway. "An Integrated Approach to a Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) Indicator for the Food Production–Consumption Chain." Sustainability 10, no. 4 (March 22, 2018): 925. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10040925.
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Reducing nitrogen pollution across the food chain requires the use of clear and comprehensive indicators to track and manage losses. The challenge is to derive an easy-to-use robust nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) indicator for entire food systems to help support policy development, monitor progress and inform consumers. Based on a comparison of four approaches to NUE (life cycle analysis, nitrogen footprint, nitrogen budget, and environmental impact assessment), we propose an indicator for broader application at the national scale: The whole food chain (NUEFC), which is defined as the ratio of the protein (expressed as nitrogen) available for human consumption to the (newly fixed and imported) nitrogen input to the food system. The NUEFC was calculated for a set of European countries between 1980 and 2011. A large variation in NUEFC was observed within countries in Europe, ranging from 10% in Ireland to 40% in Italy in 2008. The NUEFC can be used to identify factors that influence it (e.g., the share of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in new nitrogen, the imported and exported products and the consumption), which can be used to propose potential improvements on the national scale.
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Gunawan, Tubagus Aryandi, Alessandro Singlitico, Paul Blount, James Burchill, James G. Carton, and Rory F. D. Monaghan. "At What Cost Can Renewable Hydrogen Offset Fossil Fuel Use in Ireland’s Gas Network?" Energies 13, no. 7 (April 8, 2020): 1798. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en13071798.
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The results of a techno-economic model of distributed wind-hydrogen systems (WHS) located at each existing wind farm on the island of Ireland are presented in this paper. Hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis from wind energy and backed up by grid electricity, compressed before temporarily stored, then transported to the nearest injection location on the natural gas network. The model employs a novel correlation-based approach to select an optimum electrolyser capacity that generates a minimum levelised cost of hydrogen production (LCOH) for each WHS. Three scenarios of electrolyser operation are studied: (1) curtailed wind, (2) available wind, and (3) full capacity operations. Additionally, two sets of input parameters are used: (1) current and (2) future techno-economic parameters. Additionally, two electricity prices are considered: (1) low and (2) high prices. A closest facility algorithm in a geographic information system (GIS) package identifies the shortest routes from each WHS to its nearest injection point. By using current parameters, results show that small wind farms are not suitable to run electrolysers under available wind operation. They must be run at full capacity to achieve sufficiently low LCOH. At full capacity, the future average LCOH is 6–8 €/kg with total hydrogen production capacity of 49 kilotonnes per year, or equivalent to nearly 3% of Irish natural gas consumption. This potential will increase significantly due to the projected expansion of installed wind capacity in Ireland from 5 GW in 2020 to 10 GW in 2030.
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Kerr, Maeve A., Kirsten L. Rennie, Tracy A. McCaffrey, Julie M. W. Wallace, Mary P. Hannon-Fletcher, and M. Barbara E. Livingstone. "Snacking patterns among adolescents: a comparison of type, frequency and portion size between Britain in 1997 and Northern Ireland in 2005." British Journal of Nutrition 101, no. 1 (June 5, 2008): 122–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114508994769.
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Despite the potential link between snack food intake and obesity and the reportedly high prevalence of snacking among adolescents, adolescent snack food patterns (types of foods consumed, frequency and portion size) have not been extensively examined. This study examines these issues using data on the snacking patterns of adolescents aged 13–16 years who took part in the 1997 National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) and that from a Northern Irish (NI) cohort of adolescents collected 8 years later, in 2005. Overall energy intake was significantly higher in the NI adolescents in 2005 compared with the NDNS adolescents in 1997 (P < 0·01). Consequently, energy intake from snacks was significantly higher in the NI cohort (P < 0·01) and a trend for a higher % energy intake from snacks compared with the NDNS group was observed (median 32·5 % v. 29·8 %, respectively). Sugar-sweetened carbonated and soft drinks remained the most popular choice of snack over this 8-year period; however, both the portion size consumed and frequency of consumption were significantly higher among the adolescents in 2005 compared with those in 1997 (P = 0·022 and P = 0·014, respectively). Despite the lower popularity, and correspondingly lower frequency of milks and beverages, the portion size of both food groups was significantly higher among the adolescents in 2005 compared with those in 1997 (P < 0·001 and P = 0·007, respectively). These findings may provide scope for policy interventions to place particular emphasis on reducing typical portion sizes consumed of popular snack choices, in particular high-energy carbonated and soft drinks, among UK adolescents.
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González Sopeña, Juan Manuel, Vikram Pakrashi, and Bidisha Ghosh. "A Spiking Neural Network Based Wind Power Forecasting Model for Neuromorphic Devices." Energies 15, no. 19 (October 2, 2022): 7256. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en15197256.
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Many authors have reported the use of deep learning techniques to model wind power forecasts. For shorter-term prediction horizons, the training and deployment of such models is hindered by their computational cost. Neuromorphic computing provides a new paradigm to overcome this barrier through the development of devices suited for applications where latency and low-energy consumption play a key role, as is the case in real-time short-term wind power forecasting. The use of biologically inspired algorithms adapted to the architecture of neuromorphic devices, such as spiking neural networks, is essential to maximize their potential. In this paper, we propose a short-term wind power forecasting model based on spiking neural networks adapted to the computational abilities of Loihi, a neuromorphic device developed by Intel. A case study is presented with real wind power generation data from Ireland to evaluate the ability of the proposed approach, reaching a normalised mean absolute error of 2.84 percent for one-step-ahead wind power forecasts. The study illustrates the plausibility of the development of neuromorphic devices aligned with the specific demands of the wind energy sector.
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Browne, Sarah, Anthony Staines, Carol Barron, Veronica Lambert, Davide Susta, and Mary Rose Sweeney. "School lunches in the Republic of Ireland: a comparison of the nutritional quality of adolescents’ lunches sourced from home or purchased at school or ‘out’ at local food outlets." Public Health Nutrition 20, no. 3 (August 25, 2016): 504–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980016001944.
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AbstractObjectiveTo compare the energy, nutrient and food group compositions of three sources of school-day lunches among students in five secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).DesignCross-sectional study conducted between October 2012 and March 2013. Students completed self-report food diaries over two school days. The energy, nutrient, nutrient density and food group composition of school-day lunches from home, school and ‘out’ in local food outlets were compared using ANCOVA and Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference post hoc analysis.SettingFive secondary schools in the ROI.SubjectsMale and female students aged 15–17 years (n 305).ResultsSix hundred and fifteen lunches (376 home lunches, 115 school lunches and 124 lunches sourced ‘out’ in the local environment) were analysed. School and ‘out’ purchased lunches were significantly higher than packed lunches from home in energy (2047 kJ (489 kcal), 2664 kJ (627 kcal), 1671 kJ (399 kcal), respectively), total fat (23·5 g, 30·1 g, 16·6 g, respectively) and free (added) sugars (12·6 g, 19·3 g, 7·4 g, respectively). More home lunches contained more fruit, wholemeal breads, cheese and red meat than lunches from school or ‘out’. Meat products, chips and high-calorie beverages were sourced more frequently at school or ‘out’ than home. Fibre and micronutrient contents of lunches from all sources were low.ConclusionsHome-sourced lunches had the healthiest nutritional profile in terms of energy and macronutrients. Foods high in energy, fat and free sugars associated with school and local food outlets are of concern given the public health focus to reduce their consumption. While school food should be improved, all sources of lunches need to be considered when addressing the dietary behaviours of secondary-school students.
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Hearty, Áine P., and Michael J. Gibney. "Comparison of cluster and principal component analysis techniques to derive dietary patterns in Irish adults." British Journal of Nutrition 101, no. 4 (June 25, 2008): 598–608. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114508014128.
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The aims of the present study were to examine and compare dietary patterns in adults using cluster and factor analyses and to examine the format of the dietary variables on the pattern solutions (i.e. expressed as grams/day (g/d) of each food group or as the percentage contribution to total energy intake). Food intake data were derived from the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey 1997–9, which was a randomised cross-sectional study of 7 d recorded food and nutrient intakes of a representative sample of 1379 Irish adults aged 18–64 years. Cluster analysis was performed using thek-means algorithm and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to extract dietary factors. Food data were reduced to thirty-three food groups. For cluster analysis, the most suitable format of the food-group variable was found to be the percentage contribution to energy intake, which produced six clusters: ‘Traditional Irish’; ‘Continental’; ‘Unhealthy foods’; ‘Light-meal foods & low-fat milk’; ‘Healthy foods’; ‘Wholemeal bread & desserts’. For PCA, food groups in the format of g/d were found to be the most suitable format, and this revealed four dietary patterns: ‘Unhealthy foods & high alcohol’; ‘Traditional Irish’; ‘Healthy foods’; ‘Sweet convenience foods & low alcohol’. In summary, cluster and PCA identified similar dietary patterns when presented with the same dataset. However, the two dietary pattern methods required a different format of the food-group variable, and the most appropriate format of the input variable should be considered in future studies.
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Li, Kaifeng, Breige A. McNulty, Ann M. Tiernery, Niamh F. C. Devlin, Triona Joyce, Joao C. Leite, Albert Flynn, et al. "Dietary fat intakes in Irish adults in 2011: how much has changed in 10 years?" British Journal of Nutrition 115, no. 10 (March 21, 2016): 1798–809. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0007114516000787.
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AbstractImbalances in dietary fat intakes are linked to several chronic diseases. This study describes dietary intakes and food sources of fat and fatty acids in 1051 Irish adults (aged 18–90 years), using data from the 2011 national food consumption survey, the National Adult Nutrition Survey. It also compares current intakes for 18–64-year-olds with those reported in the last such survey in 2001, the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey. Dietary fat intakes were estimated using data from 4-d semi-weighed (2011) and 7-d estimated (2001) food diaries. In 2011, intakes for 18–64-year-olds were as follows: total fat, 34·1 (sd 6·1) % total energy (%TE); SFA, 13·3 (sd 3·3) %TE; MUFA, 12·5 (sd 2·6) %TE; PUFA, 6·1 (sd 2·2) %TE; and trans-fat, 0·511 (sd 0·282) %TE. Apart from MUFA, intakes decreased (P<0·001) compared with 2001. There was no statistically significant difference in intakes of EPA and DHA by 18–64-year-olds in 2011 (269·0 (sd 515·0) mg/d) and 2001 (279·1 (sd 497·5) mg/d). In 2011, adults aged >65 years had the highest intakes of SFA; however, intakes were typically higher than UK-recommended values for all groups. In contrast, intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids were lowest in younger age groups. Intakes of trans-fat were well within UK-recommended levels. Although there have been some improvements in the profile of intakes since 2001, imbalances persist in the quantity and quality of dietary fat consumed by Irish adults, most notably for total and SFA and for younger age groups for long-chain n-3 fatty acids.
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Davis, Peadar, Michael J. McCord, William McCluskey, Erin Montgomery, Martin Haran, and John McCord. "Is energy performance too taxing?" Journal of European Real Estate Research 10, no. 2 (August 7, 2017): 124–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jerer-06-2016-0023.
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Purpose Buildings contribute significantly to CO2 production. They are also subject to considerable taxation based on value. Analysis shows that while similar attributes contribute to both value and CO2 production, there is only a loose relationship between the two. If we wish to use taxation to affect policy change (drive energy efficiency behaviour), we are unlikely to achieve this using only the current tax base (value), or by increasing the tax take off this current tax base (unlike extra taxation of cigarettes to discourage smoking, for example). Taxation of buildings on the basis of energy efficiency is hampered by the lack of current evidence of performance. This paper aims to model the now-obligatory (at sale or letting) energy performance certificate (EPC) data to derive an acceptable appraisal model (marked to market, being the EPC scores) and deploys this to the entire population of properties. This provides an alternative tax base with which to model the effects of a tax base switch to energy efficiency and to understand the tax incidence effects of such a policy. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a multiplicative hedonic approach to model energy efficiency utilising EPC holding properties in a UK jurisdiction [Northern Ireland (NI)] as the sample. This model is then used to estimate discrete energy assessments for each property in the wider population, using attributes held in the domestic rating (property tax) database for NI (700,000+ properties). This produces a robust estimate of the EPC for every property in its current condition and its cost-effective improved condition. This energy assessment based tax base is further used to estimate a new millage rate and property tax bill (green property tax) which is compared against the existing property tax based on value to allow tax incidence changes to be analysed. Findings The findings show that such a policy would significantly redistribute the tax burden and would have a variety of expected and some unexpected effects. The results indicate that while assessing the energy performance of houses can be a complex process involving many parameters, much of the explanatory power can be achieved via a relatively small number of input variables, often already held by property tax jurisdictions. This offers the opportunity for useful housing stock modelling – such as the savings possible from power switching. The research also identifies that whilst urban areas display the expected “heat island” effect in terms of energy consumption, urban properties are on average more efficient than suburban/rural properties. This facilitates spatial targeting of policy messages and initiatives. Research limitations/implications Analogous with other studies, data deficiencies introduce the risk of omitted variable bias. Modelling of the energy efficiency in the sample is limited to property attributes that are available for the wider population of properties. While this limits the modelling exercise, it is a perennial issue facing mass appraisal worldwide (where knowledge of the transacted sample attributes generally exceeds knowledge of the unsold properties). That said, the research demonstrates the benefits of sharing data and improving knowledge of the housing stock, as taxation databases would be stronger, augmented with EPC-derived property attributes for example. Originality/value The EPC lead in time for wide residential coverage is likely to be considerable. The paper contributes to emerging literature and policy debate surrounding the effect, performance measurement and implementation of energy efficiency certification, through a greater understanding of the sectorial and geographical dispersion of energy efficiency. It provides high level research to help guide policy and decision-making, identifying key locales where there is more of a physical problem and locations where there is more to gain in terms of targeting energy improvement and/or encouraging behavioural change. The paper also allows a glimpse of the implications of a change towards a taxation regime based on energy efficiency, which contributes to the debate surrounding the “greening” of property based taxes.
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Hennessy, Áine, Janette Walton, and Albert Flynn. "The impact of voluntary food fortification on micronutrient intakes and status in European countries: a review." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 72, no. 4 (September 11, 2013): 433–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002966511300339x.
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This review aims to assess the efficacy and safety of voluntary fortification as an option to address the occurrence of inadequate micronutrient intakes in population subgroups in Europe. Although legislation is harmonised across the European Union, fortification practices and patterns of consumption of fortified foods vary considerably between countries. While the proportion of children consuming fortified foods is greater than adults, the proportion of dietary energy obtained from fortified foods is generally low (<10% in Ireland, where fortified foods are widely consumed). There are a few systematic studies on the overall nutritional impact of voluntary fortification, but there are several studies on the impact of fortified ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. The available evidence indicates that voluntary fortification can reduce the risk of sub-optimal intakes of a range of micronutrients at a population level and can also improve status for selected micronutrients (e.g. folate, vitamin D and riboflavin) in children and adults. Although concerns have been raised regarding the potential of food fortification to lead to unacceptably high micronutrient intakes, particularly for those consuming higher amounts of fortified foods, data from national surveys on total micronutrient intakes (including fortified foods) in Europe show that small proportions of the population, particularly children, may exceed the upper intake level (UL) for some micronutrients. The risk of adverse effects occurring in these individuals exceeding the UL by modest amounts is low. In conclusion, voluntary fortification practices have been shown to improve intake and status of key micronutrients in European Union population groups and do not contribute appreciably to risk of adverse effects.
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Timon, Claire M., Janette Walton, Albert Flynn, and Eileen R. Gibney. "Respondent Characteristics and Dietary Intake Data Collected Using Web-Based and Traditional Nutrition Surveillance Approaches: Comparison and Usability Study." JMIR Public Health and Surveillance 7, no. 4 (April 7, 2021): e22759. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/22759.
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Background There are many constraints to conducting national food consumption surveys for national nutrition surveillance, including cost, time, and participant burden. Validated web-based dietary assessment technologies offer a potential solution to many of these constraints. Objective This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using a previously validated, web-based, 24-hour recall dietary assessment tool (Foodbook24) for nutrition surveillance by comparing the demographic characteristics and the quality of dietary intake data collected from a web-based cohort of participants in Ireland to those collected from the most recent Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS). Methods Irish adult participants (aged ≥18 years) were recruited to use Foodbook24 (a web-based tool) between March and October 2016. Demographic and dietary intake (assessed by means of 2 nonconsecutive, self-administered, 24-hour recalls) data were collected using Foodbook24. Following the completion of the study, the dietary intake data collected from the web-based study were statistically weighted to represent the age-gender distribution of intakes reported in the NANS (2008-2010) to facilitate the controlled comparison of intake data. The demographic characteristics of the survey respondents were investigated using descriptive statistics. The controlled comparison of weighted mean daily nutrient intake data collected from the Foodbook24 web-based study (329 plausible reporters of a total of 545 reporters) and the mean daily nutrient intake data collected from the NANS (1051 plausible reporters from 1500 reporters) was completed using the Wilcoxon–Mann-Whitney U test in Creme Nutrition software. Results Differences between the demographic characteristics of the survey participants across the 2 surveys were observed. Notable differences included a lower proportion of adults aged ≥65 years and a higher proportion of females who participated in the web-based Foodbook24 study relative to the NANS study (P<.001). Similar ranges of mean daily intake for the majority of nutrients and food groups were observed (eg, energy [kilocalorie per day] and carbohydrate [gram per day]), although significant differences for some nutrients (eg, riboflavin [mg/10 MJ], P<.001 and vitamin B12 [µg/10 MJ], P<.001) and food groups were identified. A high proportion of participants (200/425, 47.1%) reported a willingness to continue using Foodbook24 for an additional 6 months. Conclusions These findings suggest that by using targeted recruitment strategies in the future to ensure the recruitment of a more representative sample, there is potential for web-based methodologies such as Foodbook24 to be used for nutrition surveillance efforts in Ireland.
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Bekaliyev, A., A. Junissov, Y. Kakimov, and S. G. Poulopoulos. "Evaluation of decoupling of GDP and CO2 emissions in EU-15." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 899, no. 1 (November 1, 2021): 012028. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/899/1/012028.
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Abstract Generally, economic growth is accompanied by an increase in energy consumption, which consequently leads to higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These, in turn, are the causes of global warming, which is one of the most acute environmental problems nowadays. Decoupling occurs when environmental pressure can be decreased without the negative effect of the economic growth of a country. This study is focused on the investigation of the decoupling of the economy and environmental pressure. The analysis was carried out for EU-15 countries for the period between 1990 and 2014. For the evaluation of decoupling the Tapio decoupling elasticity method was used. This method provides the extent of decoupling of the economy and environmental pressure for each country. The economy was measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), while the environmental pressure was represented by CO2 emissions from the public electricity and heat generation sector. The EU-15 countries were classified into three groups depending on the individual reduction targets following Kyoto Protocol. Group I had high values of reduction targets ranging from -28% to -12.5%, Group II had moderate values of reduction targets situated between -7.5% and 0%, and Group III had mild values of reduction targets from +4% to +27%. The results of this analysis show that there is strong fluctuation of the extent of decoupling between GDP and CO2 emissions for each country in the specified period. Therefore, there are no clear patterns of decoupling intensity that can be observed. However, it is important to notice that in almost every country the decoupling between GDP and CO2 emissions was either strong or weak. This study has shown that generally most of the countries achieved some extent of decoupling between the growth of the economy and the pressure on the environment. The countries that showed the decoupling of more than 80% of the specified period are Luxemburg, Ireland, and Italy. For most of the countries, the decoupling was deteriorated by the financial crisis of 2008. Another possible reason for the decrease in decoupling is the extensive use of renewable energy resources. While their application lowers the CO2 emissions, the high production and operation costs constrict the growth of the economy. Sweden, Finland, and Denmark had such situation.
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Villegas, R., A. Salim, MM Collins, A. Flynn, and IJ Perry. "Dietary patterns in middle-aged Irish men and women defined by cluster analysis." Public Health Nutrition 7, no. 8 (December 2004): 1017–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2004638.
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AbstractObjectives:To identify and characterise dietary patterns in a middle-aged Irish population sample and study associations between these patterns, sociodemographic and anthropometric variables and major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.Design:A cross-sectional study.Subjects and methods:A group of 1473 men and women were sampled from 17 general practice lists in the South of Ireland. A total of 1018 attended for screening, with a response rate of 69%. Participants completed a detailed health and lifestyle questionnaire and provided a fasting blood sample for glucose, lipids and homocysteine. Dietary intake was assessed using a standard food-frequency questionnaire adapted for use in the Irish population. The food-frequency questionnaire was a modification of that used in the UK arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer study, which was based on that used in the US Nurses' Health Study. Dietary patterns were assessed primarily by K-means cluster analysis, following initial principal components analysis to identify the seeds.Results:Three dietary patterns were identified. These clusters corresponded to a traditional Irish diet, a prudent diet and a diet characterised by high consumption of alcoholic drinks and convenience foods. Cluster 1 (Traditional Diet) had the highest intakes of saturated fat (SFA), monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and percentage of total energy from fat, and the lowest polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) intake and ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat (P:S). Cluster 2 (Prudent Diet) was characterised by significantly higher intakes of fibre, PUFA, P:S ratio and antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C and E), and lower intakes of total fat, MUFA, SFA and cholesterol. Cluster 3 (Alcohol & Convenience Foods) had the highest intakes of alcohol, protein, cholesterol, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, and the lowest intakes of PUFA, vitamin A and antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C and E). There were significant differences between clusters in gender distribution, smoking status, physical activity, body mass index, waist circumference and serum homocysteine concentrations.Conclusion:In this general population sample, cluster analysis methods yielded two major dietary patterns: prudent and traditional. The prudent dietary pattern is associated with other health-seeking behaviours. Study of dietary patterns will help elucidate links between diet and disease and contribute to the development of healthy eating guidelines for health promotion.