Diet and socioeconomic position: does the use of different indicators matter?

Objectives To describe the association of diet and socioeconomic position a nd to assess whether two different indicators, education and occupation, in dependently contribute in determining diet. Methods A community-based random sample of men and women residents of Genev a canton, aged 35 to 74, participated in a survey of cardiovascular risk fa ctors conducted annually since 1993. Lifetime occupational and educational history and a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire were obtained from 2929 men and 2767 women. Results Subjects from lower education and/or occupation consumed less fish and vegetables but more fried foods, pasta and potatoes, table sugar and be er. Iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D intake were lower in the lower e ducational and occupational groups. Both indicators significantly contribut ed to determining a less healthy dietary pattern for those from low social class. The effects of education and occupation on dietary habits were usual ly additive and synergistic for some food groups. Conclusion Assessing both education and occupation, improves the descriptio n of social class inequalities in dietary habits, as they act, most of the time, as independent factors.