title: Dietary habits in three Central and Eastern European countries: the HAPIEE study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The high cardiovascular mortality in Eastern Europe has often been attributed to poor diet, but individual-level data on nutrition in the region are generally not available. This paper describes the methods of dietary assessment and presents preliminary findings on food and nutrient intakes in large general population samples in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HAPIEE (Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe) study examined random samples of men and women aged 45-69 years at baseline in Novosibirsk (Russia), Krakow (Poland) and six Czech urban centres in 2002-2005. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (at least 136 items); complete dietary information was available for 26,870 persons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total energy intakes among men ranged between 8.7 MJ in the Czech sample and 11.7 MJ in the Russian sample, while among women, energy intakes ranged between 8.2 MJ in the Czech sample and 9.8 MJ in the Russian sample. A Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), ranging from a score of 0 (lowest) to 7 (highest), was developed using the World Health Organisation's (WHO) guidelines for the prevention of chronic diseases. The mean HDI scores were low, ranging from 1.0 (SD = 0.7) among the Polish subjects to 1.7 (SD = 0.8) among the Czech females. Very few subjects met the WHO recommended intakes for complex carbohydrates, pulses or nuts; intakes of saturated fatty acids, sugar and protein were too high. Only 16% of Polish subjects met the WHO recommendation for polyunsaturated fat intake. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was lower than recommended, especially among those Russian subjects who were assessed during the low intake season. Fewer than 65% of subjects consumed adequate amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium, when compared with the United Kingdom's Reference Nutrient Intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first large scale study of individual-based dietary intakes in the general population in Eastern Europe implies that intakes of saturated fat, sugar and complex carbohydrates are a cause for concern. The development of country-specific nutritional tools must be encouraged and nutritional campaigns must undergo continuing development.
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK. s.boylan@public-health.ucl.ac.uk
authors: Sinéad
authors: S
authors: Boylan
authors: Ailsa
authors: A
authors: Welch
authors: Hynek
authors: H
authors: Pikhart
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Malyutina
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Pajak
authors: Ruzena
authors: R
authors: Kubinova
authors: Oksana
authors: O
authors: Bragina
authors: Galina
authors: G
authors: Simonova
authors: Urszula
authors: U
authors: Stepaniak
authors: Aleksandra
authors: A
authors: Gilis-Januszewska
authors: Lubomíra
authors: L
authors: Milla
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Peasey
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Marmot
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Bobak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D018153:Czech Republic; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires