Nutrition and health in Swedish children 1930-1980. Three nutrition surveys in a northern Swedish county.

In 1930 a nutrition survey was made of 1675 school children in the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden. In 1967 a second survey was carried out in the same area, covering 1411 children aged 4, 8 and 13 years. A third survey was carried out in 1980 of 572 children in the same age groups. In the first survey questionnaires concerning food consumption were used, in the two later surveys 24-hour recall of food intake was recorded. Underweight and iron deficiency anaemia were prevalent in 1930. Since then socio-economic conditions have improved dramatically and dietary habits have become more diversified. In the last study the average energy intake had decreased from 100 to 87% of the RDA. A slight increase in the prevalence of overweight among 13-year-old children was also noted. The fat intake was lower in 1980 than in 1967, but the P/S-ratio was still low (0.23). The iron intake reached a satisfactory level in the two later studies and no case of iron-deficiency anaemia was found in 1980. In spite of a relatively frequent sucrose intake dental health had improved as a consequence of other prophylactic activities. The malnutrition problems of 1930 have been eradicated but new nutritional problems, linked to the risk of developing obesity and health problems in adulthood such as coronary heart disease, call for new preventive strategies.