Food consumption trends and its influencing factors in Latvia
2008
Melece, L., Latvian State Inst. of Agrarian Economics, Riga (Latvia) | Romanova, D., Latvian State Inst. of Agrarian Economics, Riga (Latvia) | Golovcenko, A., Latvian State Inst. of Agrarian Economics, Riga (Latvia)
Over the last decade the structure of consumption expenditures, including food, in Latvia like other developed countries and countries in transition has changed significantly, affecting accordingly also food consumption patterns and diet habits. The paper presents the results of studies on factors influencing food consumption and diet of Latvia's inhabitants and food consumption trends. The study provides the evaluation and comparison for the consumption of various food products and their nutritive value for food intake or diet by Latvian urban and rural inhabitants, as well as by the inhabitants of different regions of Latvia. The study results show that the consumption of basic food groups – bread and cereal products, meat and meat products, milk and milk products – and fats has changed over the last 15 years. The consumption of meat and milk products is constantly increasing, whereas the role of this group of products in urban residents' diet is larger than for rural ones. Bread and cereal products as well as fats still play a quite important role in energy balance for the lowest income group of inhabitants, including rural ones. Quantities and qualitative aspects of consumed food in different regions of Latvia as well as in urban and rural areas are evaluated. The relationship between the choice of several food groups and population income and its changes is evaluated, and the results show that the main factor influencing nutrition or diet of the population of Latvia depends on the income per capita.
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