Diet in relation to socioeconomic status in patients with coronary heart disease

Objectives: Nutrient intake, food consumption and fatty acid profile of ser um cholesteryl esters (CE) were investigated in relation to education in pa tients with coronary heart disease (CI-ID). Design: A cross-sectional survey in CHD patients selected from hospital rec ords at least six months after hospitalisation. Food record, a questionnair e on dietary fat and fatty acid profile of CE were used to examine diet com position. Years of education, divided into three categories, were used to i ndicate: socioeconomic status. Setting: The district of Kuopio University Hospital in Finland. Subjects: One hundred and nine patients with coronary artery bypass surgery , 106 patients with coronary angioplasty, 101 patients with acute myocardia l infarction and 99 patients with acute myocardial ischaemia aged 61 y (33 - 74 y) (mean (range)). Results: Men with a low level of schooling had a higher intake of total and saturated fat, a lower consumption of vegetables and fruits, more frequent ly used butter or butter based spread and less frequently used oil compared to the diets of men with middle or high education. Men with low or middle education had a lower intake of alcohol than men with a high level of educa tion. Highly-educated women had a lower proportion of myristic acid in CE t han low-educated women and a similar trend between myristic acid and educat ional level was found in men. Conclusions: The educational level of men with CHD influenced their nutrien t intake and food consumption, but in women with CHD its impact seemed to b e weaker.