Journal
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
Volume 14, Issue 4, Pages 678-687Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980010002570
Keywords
Nutrition; Diet; Socio-economic; Eastern Europe; International
Funding
- Wellcome Trust [064947/Z/01/Z]
- National Institute on Aging [1R01 AG23522-01]
- MacArthur Foundation
- Academy of Finland
- Finnish Work Environment Fund
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Objective: To assess the relationship between several socio-economic indicators and frequency of consumption of seven predefined healthy foods (consumption of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread, vegetable-fat spread, vegetable cooking fat, low-fat milk and low-fat cheese) in populations from Eastern, Central and Western Europe. Design: Analysis of baseline data collected in two cross-sectional cohort studies between 2000 and 2005: the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study and the Finnish Helsinki Health Study (HHS). Setting: Urban populations in the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland and Finland. Subjects: In the HAPIEE study, random samples of men and women aged 45-69 years were drawn from population registers and electoral lists of selected cities. In the HHS, men and women aged 40-60 years employed by the City of Helsinki were recruited. Data on 21 326 working subjects from both cohorts were analysed. Results: Healthy food habits were, in general, positively associated with higher education, occupational position and fewer economic difficulties, but there were differences in the strength of the gradient by food and country. Fruit consumption showed the most consistent gradients, especially in relation to socio-economic status among men (country-specific relative index of inequality (RII) =2.02-5.17) and women (RII=2.09-3.57). Conclusions: The associations between socio-economic indicators and healthy food habits showed heterogeneity between countries. Future studies of dietary behaviours should consider multiple measures of socio-economic position.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available