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Age and Ageing 2003; 32: 394-400
© 2003, British Geriatrics Society

Research Papers

Changes and associations in healthy diet among the Finnish elderly, 1985–2001

Tommi Sulander1,, Satu Helakorpi1, Ossi Rahkonen2, Aulikki Nissinen1 and Antti Uutela1

1 Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 160, 00300 Helsinki, Finland
2 Department of Social Policy, University of Helsinki, Finland

Abstract

Background: diet is related to health and studies of transitions in diet among elderly people are scarce. The aim of this study was to monitor any recent changes in healthy diet among the 65- to 79-year-old population of Finnish citizens. Possible disparities in 5-year age groups, occupation and marital status were examined.

Methods: biennially conducted nationwide monitoring cross-sectional surveys among Finnish elderly people were used to study 11,793 (response rate 82%) men and women from 1985–2001. Data were pooled into three time periods. Analysis of logistic regression was used to compare and test for changes in healthy diet in categories of sociodemographic factors.

Results: the diet of the elderly population clearly improved from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. The change over the monitoring period was slightly steadier among women than men. The youngest respondents, especially women, retired office employees and married persons had the healthiest diet.

Conclusions: continuing improvement in diet might indicate positive health outcomes in the future. Nevertheless, there are still subgroups with unhealthier diets that include persons who are also underprivileged as far as functional ability is concerned.

Keywords: healthy diet, elderly population, previous occupation


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