Reduction of cardiovascular mortality in Poland and changes in dietary patterns

Background: A decrease in mortality due to cardiovascular diseases has been recently documented in Poland.Aim: To assess changes in dietary patterns in Poland in the 90's.Methods: The Central Statistical Office data on food consumption from the years 1989-2000 were analysed. The energy and fatty acid content in the consumed food were calculated with the use of the national food composition tables.Results: A decrease in the consumption of butter by 52%, other animal fats by 20%, milk by 27%, beef by 57% and potatoes by 8% was noted. On the other hand, the consumption of vegetable fat increased by 100%, poultry by 70% and fruit by 64%. Changes in the consumption of cereal products, vegetables, pork, eggs and sugar were insignificant. A decrease of 19% in the consumption of saturated fatty acids and an increase of 32% in the intake of the polyunsaturated fatty acids were found.Conclusions: Changes in dietary patterns explain, at least in part, a marked reduction in cardiovascular mortality recently observed in Poland