title: Adherence to the Baltic Sea diet consumed in the Nordic countries is associated with lower abdominal obesity.
abstract: Due to differences in food cultures, dietary quality measures, such as the Mediterranean Diet Score, may not be easily adopted by other countries. Recently, the Baltic Sea Diet Pyramid was developed to illustrate healthy choices for the diet consumed in the Nordic countries. We assessed whether the Baltic Sea Diet Score (BSDS) based on the Pyramid is associated with a decreased risk of obesity and abdominal obesity. The population-based cross-sectional study included 4720 Finns (25-74 years) from the National FINRISK 2007 study. Diet was assessed using a validated FFQ. The score included Nordic fruits and berries, vegetables, cereals, ratio of PUFA:SFA and trans-fatty acids, low-fat milk, fish, red and processed meat, total fat (percentage of energy), and alcohol. Height, weight and waist circumference (WC) were measured and BMI values were calculated. In a multivariable model, men in the highest v. lowest BSDS quintile were more likely to have normal WC (OR 0·48, 95 % CI 0·29, 0·80). In women, this association was similar but not significant (OR 0·65, 95 % CI 0·39, 1·09). The association appeared to be stronger in younger age groups (men: OR 0·23, 95 % CI 0·08, 0·62; women: OR 0·17, 95 % CI 0·05, 0·58) compared with older age groups. Nordic cereals and alcohol were found to be the most important BSDS components related to WC. No association was observed between the BSDS and BMI. The present study suggests that combination of Nordic foods, especially cereals and moderate alcohol consumption, is likely to be inversely associated with abdominal obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, PO Box 30, FI-00270 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Noora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanerva
authors.affiliation: Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, PO Box 30, FI-00270 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Niina E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kaartinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.affiliation: Finnish Heart Association, PO Box 50, 00621 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marjaana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahti-Koski
authors.affiliation: Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, PO Box 30, FI-00270 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Männistö
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001454:Baltic States; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D063427:Food Quality; D005523:Food Supply; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009659:North Sea; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000208:ethnology