Socio-economic differences in the consumption of vegetables, fruit and berries in Russian and Finnish Karelia: 1992-2007.

BACKGROUND: Food habits and their socio-economic differences in Russia have rarely been compared to those in western countries. Our aim was to determine socio-economic differences and their changes in the consumption of vegetables, fruit and berries in two neighbouring areas: the district of Pitkäranta in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, and North Karelia, Finland. METHODS: Cross-sectional risk factor surveys in Pitkäranta, in 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 (1144 men, 1528 women) and in North Karelia, in 1992, 1997 and 2002 (2049 men, 2316 women), were carried out. Data collected with a self-administered questionnaire were analysed with logistic regression. RESULTS: The consumption of fruit and vegetables was more common in North Karelia than in Pitkäranta, but increased markedly in Pitkäranta from 1992 to 2007. In Pitkäranta, women, and in North Karelia both men and women with higher education ate fresh vegetables more often than those with a lower education. In both areas, daily consumption of fruit tended to be more common among subjects with a higher education. In Pitkäranta, there were virtually no differences by employment status. In North Karelia, vegetable consumption was less common among the unemployed than the employed subjects. Only minor socio-economic differences in berry consumption were observed. The educational differences in vegetable consumption seemed to widen in Pitkäranta and narrow in North Karelia. CONCLUSION: A converging trend was observed, with the Russian consumption levels and socio-economic differences starting to approach those observed in Finland. This may be partly explained by the improvements in availability and affordability of fruit and vegetables in Pitkäranta.

Socio-economic differences in the use of dairy fat in Russian and Finnish Karelia, 1994-2004.

OBJECTIVES: To determine socio-economic differences from 1994 to 2004 in the use of butter and milk in Pitkäranta in the Republic of Karelia, Russia and North Karelia, Finland. METHODS: Health behaviour surveys in Pitkäranta (n = 3,599) and North Karelia (n = 3,652) in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004. RESULTS: A clear overall decrease occurred in the use of butter in cooking in Pitkäranta from 1994 to 2004. In both areas, subjects with lower education used butter in cooking and drank fat-containing milk more often. Regarding butter on bread, the educational patterns in the two areas were opposite: in Pitkäranta, subjects with lower education used butter less often but in North Karelia, they used butter on bread more often. Practically, no changes in socio-economic differences from 1994 to 2004 were observed in either area. CONCLUSIONS: The socio-economic differences in the use of dairy fat were stable in both areas but larger in North Karelia than in Pitkäranta. Our results support earlier assumptions of a weaker role of education as a determinant of health in Russia than in the western societies.