Dietary intake of 70- to 89-year-old men in eastern and western Finland.

Abstract

A detailed dietary history interview of 70- to 89-year-old men, 98 from eastern and 129 from western Finland, was obtained as part of a 30-year follow-up survey within the Seven Countries Study. The average energy intake was similar in level, about 2700 kcal, in both areas. The percentage of total energy intake from fat was 39.1% in the west, and 36.5% in the east. The P/S ratio was about the same, 0.27 and 0.29, in eastern and western areas, respectively. The intake of most micronutrients was similar in the two cohorts. Only the intake of vitamins A and C and phosphorus, manganese, copper and zinc was higher in eastern Finland than in western Finland. The nutritional density of the diet of the eastern cohort was slightly higher than that of the western one due to their higher consumption of rye products, vegetables and berries, and also sour milk and fish and fish products. The diet met the general recommendations and was comparable to that of younger age groups.