The significance of eating patterns: An elderly Greek case study

Eating patterns are a relatively neglected area of nutrition assessment wit h considerable potential health importance. Cross-cultural and socio-anthro pological studies provide insight into the great range of food patterns whi ch are related to health, biochemical measurements and anthropometry. The I nternational Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) study of aged folk in foo d-culturally disparate communities has provided opportunities to explore th ese issues. This paper uses cross-sectional data from the Greek arms of the IUNS study to explore associations between eating pattern variables (numbe r of meals, time of meals, main meal for lunch and/or dinner, meal plus alc ohol) and with the prevalence of self-reported heart disease and diabetes, body fatness, blood lipids, blood glucose and the overall variety of foods consumed. The eating pattern variables were not associated with blood lipid s, self-reported heart disease or diabetes. Body fatness was negatively ass ociated with the consumption of a greater number of meals/snacks daily (p<0 .01), with the consumption of two cooked meals daily (p<0.05) or when the m ain meal was consumed at lunch time (p<0.05) and when breakfast was consume d earlier rather than later in the morning (p<0.01). Later dinner times wer e positively correlated with a higher fasting blood glucose in non-diabetic elderly Greeks (p<0.0005). A more varied diet was positively associated wi th the consumption of alcohol with dinner (p<0.0001) and with a greater num ber of meals/snacks daily (p<0.0001). These findings suggest that adherence to the traditional Greek eating pattern may be protective against obesity and appears to promote greater food variety. (C) 1999 Academic Press.