THE FOOD-INTAKE OF SMOKERS AND NONSMOKERS - THE ROLE OF PARTNERS SMOKING-BEHAVIOR

Background To understand the food patterns of smokers, passive smokers , and nonsmokers is important for health professionals who are assessi ng disease risks and for those educating individuals regarding healthy lifestyles. This study aimed to investigate the role of smoking behav ior on the food intake of men and women, including the smoking habits of their partner. Methods. Information on food intake and smoking beha vior was collected by self-administered questionnaires from a cohort o f 40- to 70-year-old representatives of the suburban Danish population (n = 2,656), cross-sectionally in 1993-1994. Results. Men and women w ho smoked were less frequent consumers of fruit, raw vegetables, whole -meal bread, cakes, jam, and tea and were more frequent consumers of w hite bread, meat, coffee, and beer than nonsmokers. The intake frequen cies of meat, fruit, raw vegetables, whole-meal bread, cakes, jam, cof fee, and beer among men and of white bread and coffee among women were also associated with their partner's smoking behavior, and for these foods, the intakes of subjects living with a partner with discordant s moking behavior represented a compromise between the food patterns of smokers and nonsmokers. The associations were independent of potential confounders such as age, educational level, and physical exercise. Co nclusion. The dietary habits of both men and women are associated with their own and their partner's smoking behavior, independent of age, e ducation, and exercise. Epidemiological studies of smoking and passive smoking-disease relationships should account for the possible confoun ding by diet. (C) 1998 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.