Food habits

Healthy food habits are an important factor in maintaining health and in preventing diseases like cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Together with physical activity, healthy food habits also help in maintaining a normal body weight.
Food habits have improved in Pitkäranta in the Republic of Karelia as well as in North Karelia, Finland, during the past decades.

Daily use of vegetables

• Daily use of vegetables has increased in both areas. However, the consumption of vegetables is much more common in North Karelia than in the Republic of Karelia.
• Women eat more often vegetables than men in both areas.

Figure 1. Daily use of vegetables in North Karelia, Finland, 1978–2004

Figure 2. Daily use of vegetables in Pitkäranta, the Republic of Karelia 1994-2004

Fat type in cooking

• Vegetable oil and soft margarine are healthier fat types than butter.
• The use of vegetable oil and soft margarine in cooking has increased substantially in Pitkäranta and North Karelia, but the increase has been much greater in Pitkäranta. In the same time, the use of butter has decreased.
•  There is no notable difference in the type of fat used used in cooking between men and women.

More information about food habits in Russian and Finnish Karelia can be found in a series of pictures
Nutrition (PDF 345 KB)