Changes in food habits in healthy Swedish adolescents during the transition from adolescence to adulthood (original) (raw)

• Original Communication
• Published: 24 May 2002
• G Samuelson2,3 na1 na2,
• B Karlström1 na2,
• R Mohsen1 na2,
• L Berglund1 na2 &
• …
• L-E Bratteby2 na2

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 56, pages 532–538 (2002)Cite this article

• 2632 Accesses
• 73 Citations
• 3 Altmetric
• Metrics details

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the change in food habits in Swedish adolescents between 15 and 21 y of age with reference to age, sex, region and socioeconomic background.

Design: A longitudinal study from 1993 to 1999.

Setting: Two different regions in Sweden, the university city of Uppsala and the industrial town of Trollhättan.

Subjects: On three different occasions, 1993, 1995 and 1999, 208 adolescents, 96 males and 112 females, were studied.

Methods: A food frequency questionnaire containing 29 different food groups was used. The questionnaire also contained questions about food habits and amounts of some food items and socioeconomic conditions of the participants and their families.

Results: At 17 and 21 y of age, the adolescents consumed significantly more often pasta, vegetables, coffee and tea compared to age 15, while the frequency consumption of fat spread, milk, bread, potatoes, carrots and buns and biscuits decreased. The changes between 15 and 17 were smaller than between age 17 and 21. At age 21, the males decreased their intake of fruit, while the females decreased their intake of meat. No-meat consumers among females increased from 2 to 13%. Higher educational level of the mothers of the adolescents was associated with more frequent consumption of vegetables and pasta between ages 17 and 21. Milk consumption decreased significantly in both sexes. Breakfast habits did not change: 90% had breakfast five times/week or more.

Conclusions: Food habits change significantly during adolescence along with lifestyle changes. Therefore, health promotion during adolescence ought to be more supported by the society.

Sponsorship: County Councils of Uppsala and Älvsborg and the Dairies Association of Research and Development.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$259.00 per year

only $21.58 per issue

Buy this article

• Purchase on SpringerLink
• Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

• Log in
• Learn about institutional subscriptions
• Read our FAQs
• Contact customer support

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

• Amorim Cruz CA . 2000 Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents over Europe–southern Europe Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: (Suppl 1): S29–S35
  Article Google Scholar
• Becker W . 1999 Svenskarna äter nyttigare–allt fler väljer grönt. (Swedes eat more healthy foods–more people choose fruit and vegetables.) Vår Föda 51: 24–27
  Google Scholar
• Berge S . 1997 Trends in consumption of milk products and milk fat in the Nordic countries Scand. J. Clin. Nutr. 41: 121–124
  Google Scholar
• Bergström E, Hernell O, Persson L-Å . 1993 Dietary changes in Swedish adolescents Acta Pædiatr. 82: 472–480
  Article Google Scholar
• Bratteby L-E, Sandhagen B, Lötborn M, Samuelson G . 1997 Daily energy expenditure and physical activity assessed by and activity diary in 374 randomly selected 15-year-old adolescents Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 51: 592–600
  Article CAS Google Scholar
• Cavadini C, Decarli B, Grin J, Narring F, Michaud P-A . 2000 Food habits and sport activity during adolescence: differences between athletic and non-athletic teenagers in Switzerland Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: (Suppl 1): S16–S20
  Article Google Scholar
• Due P, Holstein BE, Ito H, Groth MV . 1991 Diet and health behaviour in Danish children aged 11–15 y (in Danish). Ugeskr. Laeger. 153: 984–988
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Fogelholm M . 1998 Diet, physical activity and health in Finnish adolescents in the 1990s Scand. J. Nutr. 42: 10–12
  Google Scholar
• Frost Andersen L, Nees M, Sandstad B, Bjorneboe G-Eaa, Drevon CA . 1995a Dietary intake among Norwegian adolescents Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 49: 555–564
  Google Scholar
• Frost Andersen L, Nees M, Lillegaard IT, Sandstad B, Bjoerneboe G-Eaa, Drevon CA . 1995b Evaluation of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire used in a group of Norwegian adolescents Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 49: 543–554
  Google Scholar
• Frost Andersen L, Nees M, Bjoerneboe G-Eaa, Drevon CA . 1997 Food habits among 13-year-old Norwegian adolescents Scand. J. Nutr. 41: 150–154
  Google Scholar
• Hagman U, Bruce Å, Persson L-Å, Samuelson G, Sjölin S . 1986 Food habits and nutrient intakes in childhood in relation to socioeconomic conditions Acta Paediatr. Scand. 75: (Suppl 328): 1–56
  Article Google Scholar
• Höglund D, Samuelson G, Mark A . 1998 Food habits in Swedish adolescents in relation to socioeconomic conditions Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 784–789
  Article Google Scholar
• Klepp KI, Wilhelmsen BU, Andrews T . 1991 Promoting healthy eating patterns among Norwegian school children In Youth Health Promotion ed. D Nutbeam, B Haglund, P Farley & P Tillgren pp 137–155 London: Forbes
  Google Scholar
• Lyhne N . 1998 Dietary habits and physical activity of Danish adolescents (in Danish) Scand. J. Nutr. 42: 13–16
  Google Scholar
• Moore DC . 1993 Body image and eating behaviours in adolescents J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 15: 505–510
  Article Google Scholar
• Pařízková J . 2000 Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: (Suppl 1): S36–S40
  Article Google Scholar
• Post GB, de Vente W, Kemper HCG, Twisk JWR . 2001 Longitudinal trends in and tracking of energy and nutrient intake over 20 y in a Dutch cohort of men and women between 13 and 33 y of age: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study Br. J. Nutr. 85: 375–385
  Article CAS Google Scholar
• Richards MH, Casper RC, Larson R . 1990 Weight and eating concerns among pre- and young adolescent boys and girls J. Adolesc. Health Care 11: 203–209
  Article CAS Google Scholar
• Räsänen L, Laitinen S, Stirkkinen R, Kimppa S, Viikari J, Uhari M, Pesonen E, Salo M, Åkerblom HK . 1991 Composition of diet of young Finns in 1986 Ann. Med. 23: 73–80
  Article Google Scholar
• Samuelson G . 2000 Dietary habits and nutritional status in adolescents over Europe. An overview of current studies in the Nordic countries Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54: (Suppl 1): S21–S28
  Article Google Scholar
• Samuelson G, Bratteby L-E, Enghardt H, Hedgren M . 1996a Food habits and energy and nutrient intake in Swedish adolescents approaching the year 2000 Acta Paediatr. 85: (Suppl 415): S1–S19
  Article Google Scholar
• Samuelson G, Bratteby L-E, Berggren K, Elverby J-E, Kempe B . 1996b Dietary iron intake and iron status in adolescents Acta Paediatr. 85: 1033–1038
  Article CAS Google Scholar
• Samuelson G, Lönnerdal B, Kempe B, Elverby J-E, Bratteby L-E . 2000 A follow-up study of serum ferritin and transferrin receptor concentrations in Swedish adolescents at age 17 years compared to age 15 Acta Paediatr. 89: 1162–1168
  Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Author notes

1. G Samuelson: Guarantor: G Samuelson
2. M von Post-Skagegård, G Samuelson, B Karlström, R Mohsen, L Berglund and L-E Bratteby: Contributors: GS and L-EB originally designed the study and are responsible for study co-ordination. MvP-S performed part of the interviews and processed the materials. BK performed part of the interviews and assisted in data processing. RM and LB were responsible for the data and the statistical analyses. MvP-S, GS, BK and L-EB all contributed to writing the paper.

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Unit of Clinical Nutrition Research, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
   M von Post-Skagegård, B Karlström, R Mohsen & L Berglund
2. Department of Medical Sciences, Unit of Clinical Physiology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
   G Samuelson & L-E Bratteby
3. Department of Nursing, University of Trollhättan-Vddevala, Vänesburg, Sweden
   G Samuelson

Authors

1. M von Post-Skagegård
2. G Samuelson
3. B Karlström
4. R Mohsen
5. L Berglund
6. L-E Bratteby

Corresponding author

Correspondence toG Samuelson.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

von Post-Skagegård, M., Samuelson, G., Karlström, B. et al. Changes in food habits in healthy Swedish adolescents during the transition from adolescence to adulthood.Eur J Clin Nutr 56, 532–538 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601345

Download citation

• Received: 22 May 2001
• Revised: 28 September 2001
• Accepted: 02 October 2001
• Published: 24 May 2002
• Issue date: 01 June 2002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601345

Keywords

This article is cited by