Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Communication
  • Published:

Sociodemographic differences in dietary habits described by food frequency questions — results from Denmark

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 1586–1597 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate whether a modest number of food frequency questions are sufficient to describe sociodemographic differences in dietary habits, and to identify sociodemographic characteristics of subjects adhering to food-based dietary guidelines operationalised in a ‘healthy-diet index’.

Design: Cross-sectional population survey.

Subjects: A total of 480 men, 515 women, aged 15–90 y. Random sample of private telephone numbers drawn from regional telephone records, geographically stratified. Participation rate 62%.

Methods: Computer-assisted telephone interviews, including six food frequency questions, a question on type of fat spreads used on bread, questions on seven sociodemographic variables.

Results: The summary of the healthy-diet index showed that the subjects who adhered to food-based dietary guidelines (top quintile) compared to those who did not (bottom quintile) were most often women (odds ratio (OR)=6.07; confidence interval (CI): 3.91–9.43, women vs men), of older age (OR=9.72; CI: 3.02–31.31, old age vs young), highly educated (OR=3.69; CI: 1.53–8.92, high education vs low) and living in multiperson households including children (OR=4.66; CI: 2.47–8.80, multiperson household vs single household). The results also showed that gender difference in dietary habits is associated with other sociodemographic variables.

Conclusions: The selected food frequency questions proved sufficient to describe sociodemographic differences in dietary habits, and this method may be a valuable supplement to traditional quantitative dietary surveys in monitoring sociodemographic changes in eating patterns. The results also underline the influence of sociodemographic status on dietary habits.

Sponsorship: The Danish Nutrition Council funded the study.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersen NL, Fagt S, Groth MV, Hartkopp HB, Møller A, Ovesen L & Warming DL (1996): Danish Dietary Habits 1995. Main Results. Publ. no. 235. Copenhagen: Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (in Danish with an English summary).

  • De Irala-Estévez J, Groth M, Johansson L, Oltersdorf U, Prättälä R & Martínez-González MA (2000): A systematic review of socio-economic differences in food habits in Europe: consumption of fruit and vegetables. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54, 706–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowler E (2001): Inequalities in diet and physical activity in Europe. Publ. Health Nutr. 4(2B), 701–709.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fagt S, Groth MV & Andersen NL (2000): Danish Dietary Habits 1995. Food and Meals. Publ. no. 2000:06. Copenhagen: Danish Food Administration (in Danish with an English summary).

  • Fagt S, Matthiesen J, Trolle E, Lyhne N, Christensen T, Hinsch H-J, Hartkopp H, Biltoft-Jensen A, Møller A & Daae A-S (2002): Danish Dietary Habits 2000–2001. Publ. no. 2002:10. Copenhagen: Danish Food Administration (in Danish with an English Summary).

  • Forbrugerstyrelsen (National Consumer Agency) (1995): De syv kostraad. Copenhagen: Forbrugerstyrelsen (in Danish).

  • Groth MV, Fagt S & Brønsted L (2001): Social determinants of dietary habits in Denmark. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 11: 959–966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haraldsdóttir J, Holm L & Jensen H (1996): Surveillance of food consumption using telephone interviews. Ugeskrift Laeger. 158, 7402–7407 (in Danish with an English summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Haraldsdóttir J, Holm L, Jensen JH & Møller A (1986): Danish Dietary Habits 1985, 1. Main Results. Publ. no. 136. Copenhagen: National Food Agency (in Danish with an English summary).

  • Haraldsdóttir J, Holm L, Jensen JH & Møller A (1987): Danish Dietary Habits 1985, 2. Who Eats What? Publ. no. 154. Copenhagen: National Food Agency (in Danish with an English summary).

  • Haraldsdóttir J, Halkjær J, Holm L, Stender S & Astrup A (1999): Changes in Danish food consumption habits from 1995 – 1998. Ugeskrift. Laeger. 161, 5028–5033 (in Danish with an English summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Haraldsdóttir J, Holm L, Astrup AV, Halkjær J & Stender Steen (2001): Monitoring of dietary changes by telephone interviews: results from Denmark. Publ. Health Nutr. 4, 1287–1295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hjartåker A & Lund E (1998): Relationship between dietary habits, age, lifestyle, and socio-economic status among adult Norwegian women. The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 52, 565–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hulshof KFMA, Löwik MRH, Kok FJ, Wedel M, Brants HAM, Hermus RJJ & ten Hoor F (1991): Diet and other life-style factors in high and low socio-economic groups (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System). Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 45, 441–450.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • James WPT, Nelson M, Ralph A & Leather S (1997): Socio-economic determinants of health: the contribution of nutrition to inequalities in health. BMJ 314, 1545–1549.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson L & Andersen LF (1998). Who eats 5 A Day?: Intake of fruits and vegetables among Norwegians in relation to gender and lifestyle. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 98, 689–691.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson L, Thelle DS, Solvoll K, Bjørneboe G-Eaa & Drevon CA (1999): Healthy dietary habits in relation to social determinants and lifestyle factors. Br. J. Nutr. 81, 211–220.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kant A (1996): Indexes of overall diet quality: a review. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 96, 785–791.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karisto A, Prättälä R & Berg M (1993): The good, the bad, and the ugly. Differences and changes in health related lifestyles. In Regulating Markets relating People on Food and Nutrition Policy, eds U Kjærnes, L Holm, M Ekström, EL Fürst & R Prättälä, pp 185–204. Oslo: Novus Press.

  • Mackenbach JP, Kunst AE, Cavelaars AE, Groenhof F & Geurts JJ (1997): Socio-economic inequalities in morbidity and mortality in Western Europe. The EU Working Group on Socio-economic Inequalities in Health. Lancet 349, 1655–1659.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osler M, Lous J & Rasmussen NK (1991): Kostvaner og viden blandt voksne i Vejle Amt i relation til forebyggelse af hjerte-karsygdomme. Ugeskrift Laeger 153, 1350–1355.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prättälä R, Berg M-A & Puska P (1992): Diminishing or increasing contrasts? Social class variation in Finnish food consumption patterns, 1979–1990. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 46, 279–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prättälä R, Karisto A & Berg M-A (1994): Consistency and variation in unhealthy behaviour among Finnish men, 1982–1990. Soc. Sci. Med. 39, 115–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pryer J, Brunner E, Elliott P, Nichols R, Dimond H & Marmot M (1995). Who complied with COMA 1984 dietary fat recommendations among a nationally representative sample of British adults in 1986–7 and what did they eat? Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 49, 718–728.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roos E, Lahelma E, Virtanen M, Prättälä R & Pietinen P (1998). Gender, socioeconomic status and family status as determinants of food behaviour. Soc. Sci. Med. 46, 1519–1529.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roos G & Prättälä R & the FAIR-97-3096 Disparities group (tasks 4 and 5) (1999): Disparities in Food Habits — Review of Research in 15 European Countries. Publications of the National Public Health Institute, B 24, 203. Helsinki: National Public Health Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith GD & Brunner E (1997): Socio-economic differentials in health: the role of nutrition. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 56, 75–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson B, Demark-Wahnefried W, Taylor G, McClelland JW, Stables G, Havas S, Feng Z, Topor M, Heimendinger J, Reynolds KD & Cohen N (1999): Baseline fruit and vegetable intake among adults in seven 5 A Day study centres located in diverse geographic areas. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 99, 1241–1248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wandel M (1995): Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables in Norway: influence of life phase and socio-economic factors. Int. J. Food. Sci. Nutr. 46, 291–301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Danish Nutrition Council, Søborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    A W Dynesen, L Holm & A Astrup

  2. Department of Human Nutrition, Centre for Advanced Food Research, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    A W Dynesen, J Haraldsdóttir, L Holm & A Astrup

Authors
  1. A W Dynesen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J Haraldsdóttir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L Holm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A Astrup
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A W Dynesen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dynesen, A., Haraldsdóttir, J., Holm, L. et al. Sociodemographic differences in dietary habits described by food frequency questions — results from Denmark. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1586–1597 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601728

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601728

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links