A Swiss population-based assessment of dietary habits before and after theMarch 1996 'mad cow disease' crisis

Objective: To assess differences in dietary habits in the general populatio n of Geneva, Switzerland, after the 1996 (BSE) crisis. Design: Repeated population-based survey during 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996. Setting: The Bus Santi 2000 epidemiological observatory of Geneva, Switzerl and. Subjects: A representative sample of 1190 men and 1154 women. Main outcome measure: Dietary habits assessed by a semi-quantitative food f requency questionnaire. Results: The proportion of women who reported not having eaten beef was 7.7 % in 1993 - 1995 and went up to 14.6% in 1996 (age-adjusted difference +6.4 %, 95% CI +2.4 to +10.4). Among men, the proportion of non-beef-eaters rema ined constant (5%). There was a sharp increase of women who did not eat liv er (+14.7%, +9.1 to +20.3) but less so in men (++5.1%, -0.7 to +10.8). Amon g women who ate meat, the amount of beef intake decreased by 120 g/month (9 5% CI -208 to -36). While chicken intake increased (+44 g/month, -2 to 88), overall intake of meat (including poultry but not fish) declined by 204 g/ month (or 2.7 kg per year). In men the decrease in beef intake was not stat istically significant (-48 g/month, -172 to 80), but consumption of chicken increased (++56 g/month, +8 to + 104). Fish intake was stable in both gend ers. The reduction in intake of animal protein (-3.5 g/day) in women and of retinol intake in both sexes (women -77 mu g/day; men -56 mu g/day) was st atistically significant. Conclusions: The BSE crisis coincided with spontaneous differences in food habits, especially in women, that may have nutritional consequences at the population level. Sponsorship: Grant no. 32-049847.96 of the Swiss National Science Foundatio n.