title: Heterogeneity of nutritional habits of Lithuanian ethnolinguistic groups: population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lithuania is a Northern European country consisting of two main ethnolinguistic groups: Samogitians and Highlanders. The objective of the paper is to investigate differences in nutritional habits of 18-65-year-old Lithuanians living in different ethnolinguistic regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative, population-based, random sample of the 18-65-year-old ethnic Lithuanian population was interviewed from 17 December 2008 to 20 May 2013. Lithuanians living in their ethnolinguistic region for at least three generations were included (n= 1,133). We analysed responses to 12 questions about nutritional habits of respondents. For the univariate analysis, we applied the chi-squared test. For the clusterisation of the survey questions, we employed a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing Samogitians' and Highlanders' responses according to their gender, education, and place of residence, we observed more often significant differences (p< 0.05) for the urban population, respondents without higher education, and women. The nutrition of Highlanders was more consistent with national and WHO nutritional recommendations. Significant differences were obtained in the consumption of fish (p= 1.9 · 10-12), milk (p= 1.8 · 10-4) and grain products (p= 0.01). MCA revealed that all questions fall into three groups with a different composition for Samogitians and Highlanders. We failed to demonstrate the impact of different nutritional habits on the body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the univariate and multivariate analysis, the nutritional habits of Lithuanian ethnolinguistic regions are heterogeneous. Dependency on an ethnolinguistic region might be considered an important factor for the preparation of appropriate health and nutrition education and disease prevention programmes. The issue of excess weight remains equally important for both ethnolinguistic groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Audronė
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakaitienė
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Donatas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Austys
authors.affiliation: Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Neringa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burokienė
authors.affiliation: Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Vytautas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kasiulevičius
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Rimantas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stukas
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Vaidutis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kučinskas
keywords: Lithuanian population; life style; nutrition; overweight; public health; social determinants of health