Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T08:33:05.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Disparities in food habits across Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2007

Antonia Trichopoulou ,
Androniki Naska  and
Tina Costacou
Antonia Trichopoulou*
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str, Athens 115 27, Greece
Androniki Naska
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str, Athens 115 27, Greece
Tina Costacou
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str, Athens 115 27, Greece
*
*Corresponding author: Professor Antonia Trichopoulou, fax +30 10 746 2079, email antonia@nut.uoa.gr
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Socially-and culturally-patterned differences in food habits exist both between and within European populations. Daily individual food availability data, collected through the national household budget surveys (HBS) and harmonized in the context of the Data Food Networking (DAFNE) project, were used to assess disparities in food habits of seven European populations and to evaluate dietary changes within a 10-year interval. The availability of selected food items was further estimated according to the educational level of the household head and, based only on the Greek HBS data, according to quintiles of the household's food purchasing capacity. Results for overall food availability support the north-south differentiation in food habits. Generally, the availability of most food items, including foods such as vegetable fats, animal lipids and sugar products, has decreased over the 10 years. Households in which the head was in the higher education categories reported lower availability for most food items, with the exception of low-fat milk, fresh fruit, animal lipids and soft drinks; the latter showing a sharp increase even within southern European households. The household's food purchasing capacity can be used as an indicator of socio-economic status, with higher values being associated with lower status. Greek households of lower social class follow a healthier diet in terms of greater availability of vegetable oils, fresh vegetables, legumes, fish and seafood. Data from the DAFNE databank may serve as a tool for identifying and quantifying variation in food habits in Europe, as well as for providing information on the socio-economic determinants of food preferences.

Keywords

DietSocio-economic food disparitiesEuropean household budget surveysDAFNE
Type
Meeting Report
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 61 , Issue 4 , November 2002 , pp. 553 - 558
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2002

References

Davey, Smith G & Brunner, E (1997) Socio-economic differentials in health: the role of nutrition. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 56, 75–90.Google Scholar
Dowler, E (2001) Inequalities in diet and physical activity in Europe. Public Health Nutrition 4, 701–709.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hulshof, KF, Lowik, MR, Kok, FJ, Wedel, M, Brants, HA, Hermus, RJ & Hoor, F (1991) Diet and other life-style factors in high and low socio-economic groups (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System). European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 45, 441–450.Google ScholarPubMed
Irala-Estevez, JD, Groth, M, Johansson, L, Oltersdorf, U, Prattala, R & Martinez-Gonzalez, MA (2000) A systematic review of socio-economic differences in food habits in Europe: consumption of fruit and vegetables. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54, 706–714.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
James, PT, Nelson, M, Ralph, A & Leather, S (1997) Socioeconomic determinants of health. The impact of nutrition to inequalities in health. British Medical Journal 314, 1545–1549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johansson, L, Thelle, DS, Solvoll, K, Bjørneboe, GEA & Drevon, CA (1999) Healthy dietary habits in relation to social determinants and lifestyle factors. British Journal of Nutrition 81, 211–220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lagiou, P, Trichopoulou, A, Henderickx, HK, Kelleher, C, Leonhauser, IU, Moreiras, O, Nelson, M, Schmitt, A, Sekula, W, Trygg, K & Zajkas, G, for the DAFNE I and II projects of the European Commission (1999) Household budget survey nutritional data in relation to mortality from coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer and female breast cancer in European countries. Data Food Networking. European Journal Clinical Nutrition 53, 328–332.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lagiou, P & Trichopoulou, A (2001) The DAFNE initiative: the methodology for assessing dietary patterns across Europe using household budget survey data. Public Health Nutrition 4, 1135–1141.Google Scholar
Liberatos, P, Link, BG & Kelsey, JL (1988) The measurement of social class in epidemiology. Epidemiology Review 10, 87–121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maxwell, S & Frankenberger, TR (1992) Household Food Security: Concepts, Indicators, Measurements. Rome: International Fund for Agricultural Development/United Nations Children's Fund.Google Scholar
Roos, E, Prättälä, R, Lahelma, E, Kleemola, P & Pietinen, P (1996) Modern and healthy? Socio-economic differences in the quality of diet. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 50, 753–760.Google Scholar
Roos, G, Johansson, L, Kasmel, A, Klumbiene, J & Prättälä, R (2001) Disparities in vegetable and fruit consumption: European cases from the north to the south. Public Health Nutrition 4, 35–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rumm-Kreuter, D (2001) Comparison of the eating and cooking habits of northern Europe and the Mediterranean countries in the past, present and future. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 71, 141–148.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, AM & Baghurst, KI (1992) Public health implications of dietary differences between social status and occupational category groups. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 46, 409–416.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trichopoulou, A (1992) Monitoring food intake in Europe: a food data bank based on household budget surveys. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46, Suppl. 5, S3-S8.Google ScholarPubMed
Trichopoulou, A, Lagiou, P, Nelson, M, Remaut-De, Winter AM, Kelleher, C, Leonhauser, IU, Moreiras, O, Schmitt, A, Sekula, W, Trygg, K & Zajkas, G, for the DAFNE I and II projects of the European Commission (1999)Food disparities in 10 European countries: their detection using Household Budget Survey data - The DAta Food NEtworking (DAFNE) initiative. Nutrition Today 34, 129–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trichopoulou, A & Naska, A (editors) (2001) The DAFNE Initiative. Assessment of dietary patterns across Europe using household budget survey data. A European Commission supported project. Public Health Nutrition 4, 72.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (2000) Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series no. 894. Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar