Changes in Dietary Patterns and the Nutritional Status in Men in the Metallurgical Industry in Poland Over A 21-Year Period

Abstract

Background/aims: The study was carried out to evaluate the changes in the eating habits and lipid parameters in a 21-year follow-up on a group of 435 men living in Poland.

Methods: The studied population was composed of the same subjects: a group of men who were first studied in the years 1987-1989 and in 2008-2010. The following data was gathered: body mass, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride concentration in blood serum.

Results: The changes in the eating habits among the studied men registered throughout the 21-year period were positive since they showed a reduction in the caloric content of their diet (p < 0.001), lower total fat content (p < 0.001), total amount of carbohydrates (p < 0.001), sucrose (p < 0.001), iron (p < 0.001), and featured more vitamins: A (p < 0.002), B1 (p < 0.001), and C (p < 0.001). An adverse trend was observed in terms of constant calcium shortages in their food portions (ns). A 21-year follow-up of the studied group showed significant differences in terms of weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), and all cholesterol fractions (p < 0.001) in their blood serum, except cholesterol alone (ns).

Conclusion: It is important to continue observing the dietary trends in the studied group, with the focus on the occurrence of potential changes in their bodies.

Keywords: 21-Year follow-up; Body mass index; Cholesterol fractions; Nutrition; Observation; Working men.