DIETARY HABITS IN EASTERN GERMANY - CHANGES DUE TO GERMAN REUNIFICATION AND THEIR RELATIONS TO SERUM-LIPIDS - RESULTS OF THE DRECAN-STUDY

In the Dresden Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition (DRECAN) Study we com pared dietary habits and nutrient intake of wet-king people in Dresden before and after reunification of Germany, and we investigated relati onships between dietary intake data and serum lipids. Due to a changed food supply there were marked qualitative changes in food consumption after reunification. Quantitative changes were obvious for butter mar garine milk and dairy products, fruit and fruit juice. The dietary con tent of fat, carbohydrates and protein remained rather unchanged. The intake of saturated fatty acids decreased, while polyunsaturated fatty acids increased There were few significant associations between dieta ry constituents and serum lipids in the analysis of variance. They dis appeared on linear regression analysis. In conclusion, the reunificati on of Germany has led to large qualitative, but less quantitative chan ges in food intake in the study population. Changes in nutrient intake were rather small, but indicated a change in direction towards the re commended preventive diet. Significant and relevant associations betwe en diet and serum lipids could not be found.