Objective: To investigate the change in food habits in Swedish adolescents between 15 and 21 y of age with reference to age, sex, region and socioeconomic background. Design: A longitudinal study from 1993 to 1999. Setting: Two different regions in Sweden, the university city of Uppsala and the industrial town of Trollhättan. Subjects: On three different occasions, 1993, 1995 and 1999, 208 adolescents, 96 males and 112 females, were studied. Methods: A food frequency questionnaire containing 29 different food groups was used. The questionnaire also contained questions about food habits and amounts of some food items and socioeconomic conditions of the participants and their families. Results: At 17 and 21 y of age, the adolescents consumed significantly more often pasta, vegetables, coffee and tea compared to age 15, while the frequency consumption of fat spread, milk, bread, potatoes, carrots and buns and biscuits decreased. The changes between 15 and 17 were smaller than between age 17 and 21. At age 21, the males decreased their intake of fruit, while the females decreased their intake of meat. No-meat consumers among females increased from 2 to 13%. Higher educational level of the mothers of the adolescents was associated with more frequent consumption of vegetables and pasta between ages 17 and 21. Milk consumption decreased significantly in both sexes. Breakfast habits did not change: 90% had breakfast five times=week or more. Conclusions: Food habits change significantly during adolescence along with lifestyle changes. Therefore, health promotion during adolescence ought to be more supported by the society.

Objective: To evaluate the metabolic effect of three different kinds of dietary proteins as part of composite meals with similar macronutrient composition in healthy subjects. Design: A randomised meal study. Setting: Metabolic ward. Subjects and methods: In total, 17 healthy women, 30-65 years old, consumed three meals in randomised order. The meals consisted of foodstuffs with similar nutrient composition but different types of protein (cod, cottage cheese, or soy protein isolate). The distribution of energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates was 33, 26, and 41 energy percent, respectively. Total amount of energy was 2300 kJ. Blood samples were drawn for assay of B-glucose, S-insulin, S-free fatty acids, S-triglycerides, and C-peptide in the fasting state and at seven times (20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 min) after starting to eat the test meal. Results: The blood glucose response after the cod protein meal differed from that of the soy protein meal, with a larger area under the curve (AUC) calculated up to 120 min. The serum insulin response after the milk protein meal differed from that of the cod protein meal with a larger AUC calculated up to 240 min. The insulin/C-peptide and the insulin/glucose ratios differed between the meals; the insulin/C-peptide ratio was higher after the milk protein meal compared to the cod, and soy protein meal at 120 min. The insulin/glucose ratio was lower after the cod protein meal compared to the milk, and soy protein meals at 120 min. The results showed that the metabolic responses differed after meals with similar macronutrient composition containing cod-, milk-, or soy protein.