Biomedical subjects

R Prättälä

Publications and source records attributed to R Prättälä.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Snuff use and smoking in Finnish olympic athletes.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of smoking and snuff use in Finnish elite athletes. Of all the athletes (n = 494) financially supported by the National Olympic Committee, 446 completed a structured questionnaire (response rate 90.3 %) in 2002. A control group (n = 1504, response rate 80.2 %) comprised an age-matched sample from the population-based sample collected by the National Public Health Institute. Any smoking was reported by 11.4 % of the athletes (3.6 % daily and 7.8 % occasionally) and by 38.3 % of the controls (28.1 % and 10.2 %). After adjusting for age, sex, and education, OR (95 % CI) for any smoking was highest 0.42 (0.23 - 0.77) for athletes in skill-based events and lowest 0.06 (0.02 - 0.17) for endurance athletes as compared with controls. Snuff use was reported by 24.6 % of the athletes (9.6 % daily and 15.0 % occasionally) and by 3.7 % of the controls (1.8 % and 1.9 %). The adjusted OR (95 % CI) for any snuff use was highest 15.6 (9.55 - 25.6) for team-sport athletes and lowest 3.33 (1.54 - 7.21) for endurance athletes as compared with controls. Although snuff use in the general female population is rare, also female athletes did use snuff. Though prevalence of daily smoking among athletes was one-seventh of the respective figure for the general population, prevalence of daily snuff use was five-fold that of controls. Tobacco free elite athletes are valuable in health counselling because athletes are considered role models influencing their peers and the sport. Sport associations are challenged to ban all forms of tobacco.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

A systematic review of socioeconomic differences in food habits in Europe: consumption of cheese and milk.

OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in cheese and milk consumption across socioeconomic groups in representative samples from several European countries. DESIGN: A meta-analysis of published and unpublished surveys of food habits performed in nine European countries between 1985 and 1999. Educational and occupational levels were used as indicators of socio-economic status. RESULTS: A higher socioeconomic status was associated with a greater consumption of cheese. The pooled estimate of the difference in cheese consumption between women in the highest vs the lowest educational level was 9.0 g/day (95% CI: 7.1 to 11.0). The parallel observation in men was 6.8 g/day (95% CI: 3.4 to 10.1). Similar results were obtained using occupation as an indicator of socioeconomic status. The pooled estimates of the higher cheese consumption among subjects belonging to the highest (vs the lowest) occupational level were 5.1 g/day (95% CI: 3.7 to 6.5) in women and 4.6 g/day (95% CI: 2.1 to 7.0) in men. No statistically significant associations were found for milk consumption concerning educational or occupational level. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that consumption of cheese is likely to be higher among subjects belonging to higher socioeconomic levels. We did not find enough evidence to support that milk intake is different according to educational or social levels.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Disparities in food habits in Europe: systematic review of educational and occupational differences in the intake of fat.

BACKGROUND: A higher socio-economic level is associated with healthier dietary habits. Nevertheless, socio-economic differences in the intake of fat have not consistently been reported in Europe. The objective of our study was to systematically assess differences in total fat (TF) intake and saturated fat (SF) intake across social groups. METHODS: Representative samples from nine European countries were used to perform a meta-analysis of surveys between 1985-1999, including both published and nonpublished results. RESULTS: Because important heterogeneity was found and the estimates for TF from Spain and Estonia were different from all others, we calculated the differences in intake excluding these two countries. We found a lower TF intake in the highest (versus the lowest) occupational level both for men (difference: -1.1% of total energy intake; 95% CI: -1.3 to -0.8%) and women (difference: -0.9%; 95% CI: -1.2 to -0.6%) when Estonia and Spain were excluded. CONCLUSION: European surveys indicate that people in the lowest category of occupation consume more fat and SF than people in the highest category.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Income and health behaviours. Evidence from monitoring surveys among Finnish adults.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of individual and household income with various health behaviours, before and after adjusting for educational attainment and occupational social class. DESIGN AND SETTING: Data from 19 982 respondents to nationwide health behaviour surveys from 1993 to 1999 (response rate 70%) were linked with socioeconomic information from population registers. MEASUREMENTS: The income measures were total individual income liable to taxation and household's monthly disposable income. Health behaviours included smoking, alcohol use, leisure time physical activity, use of vegetables, use of saturated fat on bread, and being overweight. MAIN RESULTS: In men, smoking and infrequent vegetable use were more common among those with lower individual and household income. However, adjusting for education and occupational class removed most of the differences. Use of saturated fat on bread increased with decreasing individual income, before and after the adjustments. In women, smoking, infrequent vegetable use and being overweight were more common among those with lower income, but the differences by both income measures were largely removed by the adjustments. Women with higher income more often also were high alcohol users and had less physical activity, in particular when income was measured by the respondents' individual income. CONCLUSIONS: Adjusting for education and occupation largely removed income differences in health behaviours, but for some behaviours some independent effect remained. The results suggest that income does not only reflect the available material resources, but works as a general socioeconomic indicator that is associated with health behaviours in much the same way as other socioeconomic indicators.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Men, masculinity and food: interviews with Finnish carpenters and engineers.

This study explores how Finnish men from two occupational groups describe food in their everyday life. The concept of masculinity is used in interpreting men's food-related behaviours and beliefs. Data are drawn from semi-structured interviews in the 1990s with twenty carpenters and twenty engineers involved in the building trade. The paper presents analyses of the similarities and differences in how the men talked about meat; vegetables; beer and wine as parts of meals; food as energy, health and pleasure; and cooking. The results show variation both between and within occupational groups. The men did not stress the role of meat, but rather emphasised the role of vegetables. The carpenters tended to favour meat whereas the engineers had a more positive attitude to vegetables. Eating was described as an everyday routine needed to refuel the body and stay healthy. In addition, the engineers talked about the pleasures of eating. The men described cooking as optional or exceptional. The carpenters seemed to more actively embrace hegemonic masculinity and reject what is feminine than the engineers, who have reformulated their definition of masculinity to encompass concerns with health. This study suggests that both masculinity and occupational class play a role in male food-related practices and preferences.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The consumption of rye bread and white bread as dimensions of health lifestyles in Finland.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to describe the variation in bread consumption within social classes and to link this consumption to health-related lifestyles in Finland from 1978 until 1998. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey on health-related behaviour and socio-demographic factors has been conducted annually since 1978. SETTING: Mailed questionnaire. SUBJECTS: A random sample of 5000 Finns aged 15-64 years has been drawn annually. The response rate has varied from 84% to 68%. RESULTS: The consumption of rye bread decreased, but among the female population a slight increase appeared in the 1990s. The consumption of rye bread was associated with a low educational level and a rural place of residence. White bread was consumed less than was rye bread. White bread was consumed more frequently by the less educated in urban areas. Contrary to white bread, the consumption of rye bread was not associated with smoking, exercise or alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The traditional place of rye bread in the Finnish dietary pattern has remained rather constant. White bread consumption has been associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. As a result, those Finns who are concerned about their health avoid white bread but seem not to associate rye bread with a healthier lifestyle. In Finland, rye bread has a different image to the image of whole-grain or dark brown bread in many other western European countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Disparities in vegetable and fruit consumption: European cases from the north to the south.

OBJECTIVE: To present disparities in consumption of vegetables and fruits in Europe and to discuss how educational level, region and level of consumption influence the variation. DESIGN: A review of selected studies from 1985 to 1997. SETTING/SUBJECTS: 33 studies (13 dietary surveys, nine household budget surveys and 11 health behaviour surveys) representing 15 European countries were selected based on criteria developed as part of the study. Association between educational level and consumption of vegetables and fruits was registered for each study and common conclusions were identified. RESULTS: In the majority of the studies, with the exception of a few in southern and eastern Europe, consumption of vegetables and fruits was more common among those with higher education. The results suggest that in regions where consumption of vegetables and fruits is more common, the lower social classes tend to consume more of these than the higher social classes. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in the patterns of disparities in vegetable and fruit consumption between regions, as well as within populations, need to be considered when efforts to improve nutrition and health are planned.

Educational Status↗

PubMed2001

Smoking and passive smoking in Estonia, Lithuania and Finland. Identifying target groups of tobacco policy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify population groups which are the most crucial as targets for anti-tobacco action. METHODS: A comparison was made of the prevalence and patterns of smoking and passive smoking in Estonia, Finland and Lithuania. RESULTS: Total exposure to smoking, both one's own and passive smoking, was more common in two Baltic countries than in Finland. In these Baltic countries passive smoking was notably common among women. In all countries the exposure was more prevalent among the younger and less educated, but no difference emerged between urban and rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The following target groups were identified as priorities for anti-tobacco actions: i) men of all ages in Estonia and Lithuania to stop their already established tobacco use, ii) young women in all three countries to prevent their starting a career of tobacco use and iii) young and less educated women in Estonia and Lithuania to prevent passive smoking, i.e. their exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Patterns of unhealthy behaviour in Finland.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to examine associations between unhealthy behaviours among the Finnish adult population. METHODS: Data from a series of cross-sectional health behaviour surveys from the years 1991-1998 were pooled. Associations between smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of regular physical activity and unhealthy diet were examined among 22,745 respondents. The associations were first studied in terms of accumulation: the occurrence of each combination of unhealthy behaviours was compared to their expected appearance, assuming that the behaviours were independent from each other. The same associations were then analysed with log-linear models. RESULTS: Only 2.4% of men and 0.9% of women had all four unhealthy behaviours. Nevertheless, the occurrence of four unhealthy behaviours was about three times more common than expected under the assumption of independence of the behaviours. Also, most of the three-behaviour combinations showed accumulation. Among the pairwise combinations, smoking and alcohol consumption as well as physical inactivity and unhealthy diet showed strongest accumulation, whereas the combination of alcohol consumption and unhealthy diet was less prevalent than expected. The combination of four healthy behaviours appeared 1.3 times more often than expected. In log-linear analysis a model containing all pairwise associations and the three-behaviour interaction between smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, as well as that of alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet for men, provided an acceptable fit. Most of the unhealthy behaviours were positively associated but the association between alcohol consumption and unhealthy diet was inverse. Other behaviours modified the strength of the associations. The direction of the association between alcohol consumption and physical inactivity depended on other behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Unhealthy behaviours showed pairwise and multiple accumulation. No three-behaviour associations were reducible to pairwise associations. Smoking had the strongest and most consistent associations with other unhealthy behaviours. Differences between sociodemographic groups were small and the patterns of unhealthy behaviour were remarkably similar among men and women.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

A systematic review of socio-economic differences in food habits in Europe: consumption of fruit and vegetables.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in the consumption of fruit and vegetables between groups with different socio-economic status (SES) in the adult population of European countries. DESIGN: A systematic review of published and unpublished surveys of food habits conducted between 1985 and 1999 in 15 European countries. Educational level and occupational status were used as indicators of SES. A pooled estimate of the mean difference between the highest and the lowest level of education and occupation was calculated separately for men and women, using DerSimonian and Laird's random effects model. SETTING: The inclusion criteria of studies were: use of a validated method for assessing intake at the individual level; selection of a nationwide sample or a representative sample of a region; and providing the mean and standard deviation of overall fruit and vegetable consumption for each level of education or occupation, and separately for men and women. SUBJECTS: Participants in the individual surveys had to be adults (18-85 y). RESULTS: Eleven studies from seven countries met the criteria for being included in the meta-analysis. A higher SES was associated with a greater consumption of both fruit and vegetables. The pooled estimate of the difference in the intake of fruit was 24.3 g/person/day (95% confidence interval (CI) 14.0-34.7) between men in the highest level of education and those in the lowest level of education. Similarly, this difference was 33.6 g/person/day for women (95% CI 22.5-44.8). The differences regarding vegetables were 17.0 g/person/day (95% CI 8.6-25.5) for men and 13.4 g/person/day (95% CI 7.1-19.7) for women. The results were in the same direction when occupation instead of education was used as an indicator of SES. CONCLUSIONS: Although we cannot exclude over-reporting of intake by those with highest SES, it is unlikely that this potential bias could fully explain the differences we have found. Our results suggest that an unhealthier nutrition pattern may exist among adults belonging to lower socio-economic levels in Europe. SPONSORSHIP: The present study was supported by the European Union's FAIR programme (FAIR-97-3096).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

From regional ethnographies to interdisciplinary approaches-research on meals in Finland.

The paper reviews Finnish research on meals and meal patterns since the turn of the century. The main research traditions and cases representing various methodological approaches-qualitative interview, health behaviour questionnaire and dietary survey-are discussed. In line with studies undertaken in other industrialized countries, the Finnish studies show that meal patterns are related to socio-economic structure, work schedules, lifecourse, living conditions and food availability. Meal patterns vary by individual energy needs, and the nutrient contents of meals can be different from those of snacks. It is difficult to account for all determinants and characteristics of meals in a single study. The three cases shed light on the various aspects of the meal. When planning an empirical study on meals the researcher should ask herself/himself at least four questions: (1) who defines the meal?; (2) are meal patterns assumed to vary by time and between subgroups of the study population?; (3) is information on nutrient content of various eating occasions relevant to the study?; and (4) could information on meals be obtained from existing data sources?

Cultural Characteristics↗

PubMed1998

Gender, socioeconomic status and family status as determinants of food behaviour.

This study examines social structural and family status factors as determinants of food behaviour. The data were derived from the FINMONICA Risk Factor Survey, collected in Finland in spring 1992. A multidimensional framework of the determinants of food behaviour was used, including social structural position, family status and gender. The associations between the determinants of food behaviour were estimated by multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for age and regional differences. Food behaviour was measured by an index including six food items which were chosen based on Finnish dietary guidelines. In general, women's food behaviour was more in accordance with the dietary guidelines than that of men. The pattern of association between educational level and food behaviour was similar for both genders, but slightly stronger for men than women. Employment status was associated only with women's food behaviour, but the tendency was the same for men. Marital status was associated with men's as well as women's food behaviour. The food behaviour of married men and women was more in line with the dietary guidelines than the food behaviour of those who had been previously married. Parental status, however, was only associated with women's food behaviour, that is, the food behaviour of women with young children was more closely in line with the dietary guidelines than that of the rest of the women.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Meal pattern and nutrient intake among adult Finns.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between meal pattern and diet. Nutrient contents of meals, snacks and other eating occasions were compared and differences in dietary intake analysed between respondents following a conventional meal pattern and others. A random sample of 1861 adults aged 25-64 from four regions of Finland completed a mailed questionnaire and 3-day food record in the spring of 1992. A conventional meal pattern was defined on the basis of national dietary guidelines as including breakfast, warm lunch and warm dinner, and subjects were identified with the help of the questionnaire. Meals and snacks were defined according to the respondents subjective criteria. Forty-four percent of all respondents followed the conventional meal pattern. Meal pattern has no effect on nutrient intake in men and small effects in women. Women following the conventional meal pattern had higher energy and cholesterol intake and lower alcohol and vitamin C intake than other women. Meals contributed to energy, protein and fat intake, and snacks to sugar and alcohol. Meal pattern had only a small effect on diet and conventional meal pattern cannot be considered healthier than other meal patterns.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Changes in health status and health behavior among Finnish adults 1978-1993.

The patterning of trends in self-assessed health, and in the "Holy Four" of health-related behaviors, that is, smoking, drinking, the use of high-fat milk and butter, and physical exercise, was examined in the Finnish general population aged 25-64 years. There were considerable differences in the health status and health behavior by study year, gender, and educational attainment. The longer the education, the better the health and the more favorable the health behavior, except for the use of alcohol. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s smoking increased slightly among women but decreased among men. The use of alcohol increased, whereas the use of butter and high-fat milk decreased dramatically. Physical exercise during leisure time increased, especially among women. Unemployed men and women were more often smokers than employed persons.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Modern and healthy?: socioeconomic differences in the quality of diet.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe how nutrient intake and food consumption varied according to education and household income in men and women. The second aim was to find out to what extent the goals of the national dietary guidelines were met in different socioeconomic groups. DESIGN: A random dietary survey using a 3 d estimated food record and a self-administered questionnaire. SETTING: Individuals from four different regions in Finland in spring 1992. SUBJECTS: 870 men and 991 women aged 25-64 y. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Food group and nutrient consumption, two saturated fat indices, educational level and household income. MAIN RESULTS: Men with a higher educational level had a lower energy intake and women with a higher income a lower intake of carbohydrates. The intake of vitamin C and carotenoids increased with increasing socioeconomic status. Otherwise, no socioeconomic differences in energy intake, densities of fat and saturated fat, macronutrient or fibre were found. Higher socioeconomic groups consumed more cheese, vegetables, fruit and berries and candies and less milk, butter and bread. CONCLUSIONS: Higher socioeconomic groups did not follow current national dietary guidelines better than lower socioeconomic groups. Higher socioeconomic groups consumed more of the modern recommended foods, such as vegetables and fruit and berries, but less traditional recommended foods, such as bread and potatoes.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Consistency and variation in unhealthy behaviour among Finnish men, 1982-1990.

The aim of the study was to describe four health related lifestyle characteristics--smoking, exercise, alcohol and food consumption--among Finnish men in 1982-1990. How do unhealthy patterns of behaviour vary according to socio-demographic factors, and do they aggregate or accumulate? The data was compiled in connection with a larger programme entitled 'Monitoring Health Behaviour among the Finnish Adult Population' and conducted by the National Public Health Institute. In the programme a postal questionnaire has been sent annually to a random sample of Finns (N = 5000, resp. rate 70-85%). In this paper, food consumption patterns are described by the use of butter, high-fat milk, coffee sugar and vegetables. The other patterns of behaviour are each measured by one variable. The degree of accumulation is analyzed by comparing the observed and expected (assuming independent occurrence) proportions for simultaneous occurrence of 3-4 unhealthy behaviour patterns. The proportion of men displaying 3-4 unhealthy behaviour patterns has decreased, mostly because of dietary changes. The majority of the men belonged to the intermediate group of 1-2 unhealthy behaviour patterns, and their proportion remained practically unchanged throughout the study period. Unhealthy behaviour was more common in lower educational groups, especially among middle-aged (30-49) and divorced men with a low educational level. Despite the decreasing prevalence of unhealthy behaviour, the degree of accumulation did not change. Accumulation of unhealthy behaviour was much less pronounced among non-smokers than among smokers. This implies that smokers are consistent in their unhealthy behaviour. Smoking might be the gateway to an unhealthy lifestyle in general.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Perceptions of spreading fats among women in Helsinki whose households use only butter or margarine.

This study sought to investigate whether women's perceptions about butter and soft margarine vary by the use of these fats. From interviews in 1984 with 102 middle-aged women from a follow-up dietary survey in Helsinki 27% of their households were classified as exclusive butter users, 46% used both butter and margarine and 27% used only margarine. The women evaluated margarine less "tasty" but "lighter", and "healthier" than butter. Women whose households used butter exclusively rated it more "useful" than those who used margarine, whereas women whose households used exclusively margarine rated it higher on taste than did exclusive butter users. Butter is a valued traditional food in Finland, and probably the taste of butter is still a reference standard for all spreads. Nevertheless some of the respondents had evidently come to like the soft vegetable margarine that was not available in their childhood.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Diminishing or increasing contrasts? Social class variation in Finnish food consumption patterns, 1979-1990.

The study examines whether social-class-based food consumption patterns changed in Finland during 1979-1990. The data were compiled by the National Public Health Institute in connection with a programme entitled 'Monitoring Health Behaviour among the Finnish Adult Population'. A questionnaire was sent annually to a random sample of Finns (N = 3400-5100, response rate 68-86%). This study was restricted to respondents 25-54 years old. Social class was defined by level of education (low, middle, high). Trends and variations in consumption patterns were studied by cross-tabulations and by fitting logistic regression models. The results show that the proportions of users of butter, high-fat milk and coffee sugar decreased during the study eriod whereas that of regular users of vegetables increased. Since the mid-1980s the shift towards 'healthier' food choices has accelerated among men, yet women are consistently more health-oriented. Social class appears to be a significant determinant of food consumption patterns. Men and women of lower social class follow trends set by upper social classes with a time lag of about ten years. Along with an overall shift towards observance of dietary recommendations, social class differences in Finnish food consumption patterns have diminished, without, however, disappearing altogether.

Adult↗