ABSTRACT
As has been shown in a recent comprehensive study conducted by Ritva Prättälä and others (Prättälä et al. 1992; Karisto et al. 1993) the Finnish diet has become much ‘healthier’ during the last twelve years:
Both men and women displayed a shift towards healthier food consumption patterns in 1979-1990, yet women’s food choices were consistently more healthoriented. Theobservedabsolute change in the proportionsof menand women spreading butter on bread was most dramatic: in 1979 63 per cent of men and 56 per cent of women preferred butter; in 1990, the figures were 17 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. Trends in other individual food consumption patterns were similar: consumption of sugar in coffee and high-fat milk decreased, and weekly consumption of vegetables increased.
