Food habits and related biomarkers in Pitkäranta, Russia, and North Karelia, Finland : Trends and educational differences, 1992-2007

• Main Author: Paalanen, Laura
• Other Authors: Erkkola, Maijaliisa, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Hjelt Institute, Department of Public Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsingin yliopisto, lääketieteellinen tiedekunta, Hjelt-instituutti, Helsingfors universitet, medicinska fakulteten, Hjelt-institutet, Prättälä, Ritva, Laatikainen, Tiina
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Helsingin yliopisto 2013
• Subjects: kansanterveystiede; Pitkäranta; karelia*; North-Western Russia; Republic of Karelia
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/41958

The Republic of Karelia in north-western Russia and North Karelia in eastern Finland are situated right next to each other. Part of the Republic of Karelia, including the district of Pitkäranta, was part of Finland until the Second World War, when it was annexed to the Soviet Union. The aim of this study was to explore trends and educational differences in food habits and related biomarkers in Pitkäranta, Russia, and North Karelia, Finland, over a 15-year period, which encompasses the early transition years from a centrally planned economy towards a market economy after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Two population-based repeated cross-sectional datasets from the two areas were used: 1) health behaviour surveys from 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004 (total n=3599 in Pitkäranta, total n=3652 in North Karelia) and 2) risk factor surveys from 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 (total n=2672 in Pitkäranta, total n=5437 in North Karelia). The data were collected by the National Public Health Institute (KTL) (the current National Institute for Health and Welfare, THL) in Finland. In Pitkäranta, the data were collected by the National Public Health Institute in collaboration with the Central Hospital of Pitkäranta and the Ministry of Health and Social Development in the Republic of Karelia. The trends and overall prevalence in food habits were very different between Pitkäranta and North Karelia. Food habits changed remarkably in Pitkäranta between 1992 and 2007. The proportion of those who used butter in cooking plunged from 50% to less than 10%. The proportion of those who used butter on bread decreased as well, although not consistently. The proportion of persons who consumed fat-containing milk fluctuated. The prevalence of daily consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit increased notably. In North Karelia, the changes were smaller. A small decrease in the proportion of those who used butter or consumed fat-containing milk was observed. The prevalence of daily consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit also ...