Food intake of young people with a migration background living in Germany.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the food intake of young migrants living in Germany.


METHODS
Children and adolescents aged 0 to 17 years living in Germany, including 17.1 % with a migration background, were examined in a representative health survey. Food frequency data of 7186 boys and 6919 girls, aged 3 to 17 years, were analysed separately for Turkish, Russian Germans, other migrants and non-migrants. Daily food intake was calculated and a healthy diet score was used to allow an overall interpretation of the diet. Using stepwise linear regression, the association between migrant status and healthy diet score was analysed.


RESULTS
Turkish participants (4.8 %) consumed significantly more soft drinks, fried potatoes, chocolate cream and snacks than all other groups and significantly less meat than other migrants and non-migrants. Turkish as well as other migrants (8.8 %) ate more poultry, fish and pasta/rice, and less sausage/bacon and cooked potatoes, than Russian Germans and non-migrants. Russian Germans (3.5 %) consumed less cooked vegetables than non-migrants and other migrants. Non-migrants had a better mean dietary score than Russian Germans and other migrants. A less preferable diet score was associated with higher age, male sex, being a migrant from Russia, low or middle socio-economic status, and living in rural or provincial areas.


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed considerable differences in dietary habits between young persons of different origin. This underlines the importance of focusing on ethnic groups in dietary interventions.
Kleiser
Christina
C
Robert Koch Institute, Department of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, PO Box 650261, D-13302 Berlin, Germany.
Mensink
Gert B M
GB
Neuhauser
Hannelore
H
Schenk
Liane
L
Kurth
Bärbel-Maria
BM
D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012426:Russia / Q000208:ethnology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data