Nutrient intake among Saami people today compared with an old, traditional Saami diet.

The Saami diet consisted almost entirely of meat and fish in the past and has in general changed considerably during the twentieth century. The diet has become more like a western society diet with increased intake of carbohydrates, both as vegetables and fruits but also as sugar and a decreased intake of meat. These changes are confirmed in this dietary survey and the results reveals that the Saami diet today contains less protein and more carbohydrates and hence a lower phosphate/carbohydrate ratio than in the past. The old traditional diet contained high levels of nutrients such as zinc, phosphate, vitamin B12 and selenium due to high meat consumption. The todays Saami diet still contains more of these nutrients compared with the Swede's diet. The changes in food habits and nutrient intake, expressed in this study as nutrient density and nutrient ratios together with empirical statements in old documents are important to include in the discussion of diet, health and disease.