Dietary intake of middle-aged men from an East and a West German city after the German reunification: do differences still exist?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diets of men from East and West Germany after the reunification under the new food market conditions in the East.

DESIGN

Both dietary surveys were part of the third MONICA surveys in population based random samples.

SETTING

City of Erfurt in the Federal State of Thuringia, East Germany (dietary survey in 1991/92) and city of Augsburg in the Federal State of Bavaria, West Germany (dietary survey in 1994/95).

SUBJECTS

Comparable samples of 185 Erfurt vs 331 Augsburg men, aged 45-64 y.

MEASURES

Data on food and nutrient intakes and percentage of users of foods are derived from 3 d weighed records from Erfurt and three matching days of 7 d weighed records from Augsburg.

RESULTS

Nutrient intakes show the pattern of a typical Western diet in both samples with 15.2 en% from protein, 39.5 en% from fat, 38.8 en% from carbohydrates and 6.2 en% from alcohol in Erfurt. Corresponding figures for Augsburg are 16.4 en%, 37.9 en%, 39.0 en% and 6.5 en%. Intake of animal protein, cholesterol, water and selected micronutrients is distinctly higher in Augsburg.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary differences still exist, but the pattern of difference has changed. It is unclear, whether differences between East and West exceed regional differences in the West.