NUTRITIONAL CHANGES IN EASTERN GERMANY

Nutritional changes in Eastern Germany since 1989 were investigated. E specially, criteria for the changes of nutritional behaviour were purc hasing attitude, meal arrangement, food consumption and intake of nutr ients. Estimating motives of changes in food consumption were enjoy, h ealth, availability, curiosity, price-performance ratio, amount of wor k involved. The results were based on investigations of about 2500 hou seholds from the former GDR, respectively in the ''neue laender'' and on our survey of about 200 persons in, Potsdam city and outskirts. Imp ortant results were lasting increase of consumption in some food group s, respectively of tropical fruit, cheese, poultry, salt water fish, m argarine and decrease especially regarding butter and pork. Important motives for increase of consumption were the good taste and for decrea se it was health. Changes in consumption of food groups were more clea r than changes in the intake of nutrients. Therefore, the nutritional advice remains a necessary task in future, too.