Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.

The positive association between education level and health outcomes can be partly explained by dietary behaviour. We investigated the associations between education and several indices of food intake and potential influencing factors, placing special emphasis on physical-activity patterns, using a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jonas D Finger, Thorkild Tylleskär, Thomas Lampert, Gert B M Mensink
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3819390?pdf=render
_version_ 1811335927218307072
author Jonas D Finger
Thorkild Tylleskär
Thomas Lampert
Gert B M Mensink
author_facet Jonas D Finger
Thorkild Tylleskär
Thomas Lampert
Gert B M Mensink
author_sort Jonas D Finger
collection DOAJ
description The positive association between education level and health outcomes can be partly explained by dietary behaviour. We investigated the associations between education and several indices of food intake and potential influencing factors, placing special emphasis on physical-activity patterns, using a representative sample of the German adult population.The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98) involved 7,124 participants aged between 18 and 79. Complete information on the exposure (education) and outcome (nutrition) variables was available for 6,767 persons. The associations between 'education' and indices of 'sugar-rich food', 'fat-rich food', 'fruit-and-vegetable' and 'alcohol' intake were analysed separately for men and women using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (OR) of education level on nutrition outcomes were calculated and adjusted for age, region (former East/West Germany), occupation, income and other influencing factors such as physical activity indicators.Men and women with only a primary education had a more frequent intake of sugar-rich and fat-rich foods and a less frequent intake of fruit and vegetables and alcohol than people with a tertiary education. 'Physical work activity' partly explained the associations between education and sugar-rich food intake. The interference with physical work activity was stronger among men than women. No significant associations between education and energy-dense food intake were observed in the retirement-age group of persons aged 65+ and among persons with low energy expenditure.In Germany, adults with a low level of education report that they consume energy-dense foods more frequently - and fruit and vegetables and alcohol less frequently - than adults with a high education level. High levels of physical work activity among adults with a low education level may partly explain why they consume more energy-dense foods.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T17:31:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-e9b375705d0b4cac8a6a460331005cfa
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T17:31:53Z
publishDate 2013-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-e9b375705d0b4cac8a6a460331005cfa2022-12-22T02:37:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-01811e7839010.1371/journal.pone.0078390Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.Jonas D FingerThorkild TylleskärThomas LampertGert B M MensinkThe positive association between education level and health outcomes can be partly explained by dietary behaviour. We investigated the associations between education and several indices of food intake and potential influencing factors, placing special emphasis on physical-activity patterns, using a representative sample of the German adult population.The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98) involved 7,124 participants aged between 18 and 79. Complete information on the exposure (education) and outcome (nutrition) variables was available for 6,767 persons. The associations between 'education' and indices of 'sugar-rich food', 'fat-rich food', 'fruit-and-vegetable' and 'alcohol' intake were analysed separately for men and women using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (OR) of education level on nutrition outcomes were calculated and adjusted for age, region (former East/West Germany), occupation, income and other influencing factors such as physical activity indicators.Men and women with only a primary education had a more frequent intake of sugar-rich and fat-rich foods and a less frequent intake of fruit and vegetables and alcohol than people with a tertiary education. 'Physical work activity' partly explained the associations between education and sugar-rich food intake. The interference with physical work activity was stronger among men than women. No significant associations between education and energy-dense food intake were observed in the retirement-age group of persons aged 65+ and among persons with low energy expenditure.In Germany, adults with a low level of education report that they consume energy-dense foods more frequently - and fruit and vegetables and alcohol less frequently - than adults with a high education level. High levels of physical work activity among adults with a low education level may partly explain why they consume more energy-dense foods.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3819390?pdf=render
spellingShingle Jonas D Finger
Thorkild Tylleskär
Thomas Lampert
Gert B M Mensink
Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
PLoS ONE
title Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
title_full Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
title_fullStr Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
title_full_unstemmed Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
title_short Dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position: the role of physical activity patterns.
title_sort dietary behaviour and socioeconomic position the role of physical activity patterns
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3819390?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT jonasdfinger dietarybehaviourandsocioeconomicpositiontheroleofphysicalactivitypatterns
AT thorkildtylleskar dietarybehaviourandsocioeconomicpositiontheroleofphysicalactivitypatterns
AT thomaslampert dietarybehaviourandsocioeconomicpositiontheroleofphysicalactivitypatterns
AT gertbmmensink dietarybehaviourandsocioeconomicpositiontheroleofphysicalactivitypatterns