Dietary habits depend on financial resources and country of origin

Eating habits: rich and southern Europeans eat healthier
How healthy people feed depends mainly on their financial resources and educational level. Country of origin and partnership also play a role. This shows a new study from Switzerland. Similar conclusions have been made by earlier investigations.

Quality of nutrition depends on education
As a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) shows, the quality of nutrition depends, among other things, on the financial means as well as the education of consumers. According to the study carried out by the Pedro Marques-Vidal working group of the Center Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, the dietary habits of persons with a high level of education are the closest to healthy Mediterranean cuisine. This diet rich in cereals, vegetables, fruits and fish has a reputation for protecting against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and overweight and obesity.

The income has a significant influence on the eating habits. (Image: rdnzl / fotolia.com)

Eating habits were assessed on the basis of three criteria
As reported by the SNSF in a press release, the nutritional habits of more than 40,000 Lausanne residents were assessed on the basis of three criteria. The first corresponds to the Greek Mediterranean cuisine. The second criterion is a variant that includes dairy products to reflect Swiss eating habits. And the third criterion is the Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). This is used in the US to assess the quality of the diet of low-income people.

Older people pay more attention to their diet
According to the study, conducted within the framework of the National Research Program "Healthy Diet and Sustainable Food Production" (NRP 69), the lifestyle of the participants influences their eating habits. People with obesity, but also smokers and people who do a sedentary job, often eat less well. The oldest participants and those in a partnership, on the other hand, devoted the greatest attention to the quality of their diet. The fact that partners have an important influence on each other's health has already been proven by numerous studies. It was usually stated that women are more likely to promote men's health than vice versa.

Immigrants maintain healthier habits
As the Swiss investigation has determined, the country of birth also plays a role. "Despite their relatively low socioeconomic status, immigrants from Italy, Portugal and Spain have maintained the Mediterranean diet and eat healthier than people born in France or Switzerland," says Marques-Vidal. Other studies have shown that low-income consumers buy less healthy and instead cheaper food, which is often lower in nutritional value. This is also one of the reasons why poor people are at higher risk for diabetes.

Better salary allows you to buy healthier foods
In most cases, a higher level of education is accompanied by a more comfortable salary that makes it possible to buy more healthy foods. Investigations conducted in New Zealand and Australia have shown that price reductions affect the purchase of fruit and vegetables more than education campaigns. Marques-Vidal recommends "to take fruits and vegetables near the expiration date on special offer. This would be a measure that could contribute to a change in dietary habits. "(Ad)