Diet and socioeconomic position: does the use of different indicators matter?

Objectives To describe the association of diet and socioeconomic position and to assess whether two different indicators, education and occupation, independently contribute in determining diet. Methods A community-based random sample of men and women residents of Geneva canton, aged 35 to 74, partic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of epidemiology 2001-04, Vol.30 (2), p.334-340
Main Authors: Galobardes, Bruna, Morabia, Alfredo, Bernstein, Martine S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
diet
Diet Surveys
Education
Energy Intake
Feeding Behavior
Female
food intake
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Middle Aged
nutrient intake
Nutritive Value
occupation
Occupations
Research Design
Sex Factors
social class
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic position
Switzerland
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Summary:Objectives To describe the association of diet and socioeconomic position and to assess whether two different indicators, education and occupation, independently contribute in determining diet. Methods A community-based random sample of men and women residents of Geneva canton, aged 35 to 74, participated in a survey of cardiovascular risk factors conducted annually since 1993. Lifetime occupational and educational history and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire were obtained from 2929 men and 2767 women. Results Subjects from lower education and/or occupation consumed less fish and vegetables but more fried foods, pasta and potatoes, table sugar and beer. Iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D intake were lower in the lower educational and occupational groups. Both indicators significantly contributed to determining a less healthy dietary pattern for those from low social class. The effects of education and occupation on dietary habits were usually additive and synergistic for some food groups. Conclusion Assessing both education and occupation, improves the description of social class inequalities in dietary habits, as they act, most of the time, as independent factors.
ISSN:0300-5771
1464-3685
DOI:10.1093/ije/30.2.334