Abstract
We assessed trends in dietary intake according to gender and education using repeated cross-sectional, population-based surveys conducted between 1993 and 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland (17,263 participants, 52.0 ± 10.6 years, 48% male). In 1993–1999, higher educated men had higher monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), carotene and vitamin D intakes than lower educated men, and the differences decreased in 2006–2012. In 1993–1999, higher educated women had higher fiber, iron, carotene, vitamin D and alcohol intakes than lower educated women, and the differences decreased in 2006–2012. Total energy, polyunsaturated fatty acids, retinol and alcohol intakes decreased, while mono/disaccharides, MUFA and carotene intake increased in both genders. Lower educated men had stronger decreases in saturated fatty acid (SFA) and calcium intakes than higher educated men: multivariate-adjusted slope and 95% confidence interval −0.11 (−0.15; −0.06) vs. −0.03 (−0.08; 0.02) g/day/year for SFA and −5.2 (−7.8; −2.7) vs. −1.03 (−3.8; 1.8) mg/day/year for calcium, p for interaction <0.05. Higher educated women had a greater decrease in iron intake than lower educated women: −0.03 (−0.04; −0.02) vs. −0.01 (−0.02; 0.00) mg/day/year, p for interaction = 0.002. We conclude that, in Switzerland, dietary intake evolved similarly between 1993 and 2012 in both educational groups. Educational differences present in 1993 persisted in 2012.
Highlights
Nutrition can influence the development and progression of various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer [1,2,3]
The percentage of participants with university level increased; mean body mass index (BMI) increased; the percentage of divorced participants increased at the expense of the married and the percentage of participants born outside Switzerland increased
The results regarding the trends as well as the educational differences in total energy and nutrient intake remained after including participants with extreme energy intakes (Tables S5 and S6). This is the longest study ever conducted in Switzerland and one of the few in Europe assessing trends in dietary intakes according to educational level in a representative, population-based sample
Summary
Nutrition can influence the development and progression of various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer [1,2,3]. In a previous study based on the Food and Agricultural Organization food balance sheets, some of us have shown that total energy intake (TEI) remained relatively stable in Switzerland while mono/disaccharides availability increased; considerable changes in vegetable oil use were observed [10]. Still, these analyses were conducted on aggregated data and no study assessed long-term trends (i.e., over a decade) in dietary intake in the Swiss population. Previous studies conducted in the canton of Geneva showed that individuals of high SES had a healthier diet [12] and that the diet of individuals of low SES worsened between 1993 and 2000 [13], but no other study has been performed since
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
