Food selection associated with sense of coherence in adults

Favorable dietary habits promote health, whereas unfavorable habits are linked to development of various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes and dental caries. An excess intake of energy, excess refined sugars and saturated fatty acids, and too little fibers and antioxidants can contribute to the development of chronic diseases [1‐4]. In general a favorable dietary pattern is characterized by a rich content of fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich cereal products and a low content of fat and refined sugar. A diet rich in saturated fat and sugar, but low in fiber, fruit and vegetables is considered unfavorable [5]. The public health message during the latest decades, i.e. to reduce total fat intake, especially saturated fat, and to eat more vegetables, fruits and whole meal cereals, has been constant [6, 7].

An individual's dietary pattern is largely set by cultural traditions and availability, but both physiological and psychological influences have been described [8]. However, understanding what determines an individual's dietary preferences and how to change his/her behavior is limited. The medical sociologist, Aaron Antonovsky [9] was of the opinion that approaches to health and disease can be either salutogenic (origins of health) or pathogenic (origins of disease). He showed health to be connected to an individual's "Sense of coherence" (SOC), and "generalized resistance resources" (GRRs), such as income, education, ego strength, knowledge, which would provide energy to combat various stressors, and thus influential factors in the salutogenic model. Central to sense of coherence are comprehensibility (the cognitive component), manageability (the instrumental component), and meaningfulness (the emotional component). Individuals with low SOC scores are reported to have a higher frequency of various diseases [10‐13], some of which are also linked to dietary habits [14‐17]. An association between SOC and food selection/eating pattern is indicated by the reported (i) higher sucrose intake in adolescents with low SOC scores [14], (ii) lower ability to change dietary habits and lose weight in over-weight individuals with moderate to low SOC scores [15], and (iii) better blood sugar control in type-2 diabetics with high SOC scores, whereas those with low scores have poorer sugar balance [16].

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between dietary intake and SOC in adults. The hypothesis was that low SOC scores were associated with less favorable habits and vice versa.

In total 2,446 men and 2,545 women answered the SOC- and food-frequency-questionnaires in such a way that the inclusion criteria were met. This corresponded to 86.6% of the 25–74 year old participants in the northern Sweden MONICA 1999 study.

In the present cohort SOC scores varied from 23 to 91 points (Fig. 1). Means in quartile groups based on SOC distribution increased by approximately 9 points per quartile among both men and women (see Additional file 1). Mean scores neither differed significantly between men and women, nor between normal weight, overweight or obese individuals, nor between groups with different length of education. However, mean scores increased significantly with increasing age in both sexes (see Additional file 1).

Univariate correlation analyses between SOC scores and daily intake of nutrients or servings per week in food groups revealed significant associations among women for intakes of energy (kCal/day), total and saturated fat (g/week), ascorbic acid (mg/week), sucrose (g/week), and servings/week of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and sweets (data not shown). Among men significant correlations were seen for daily intake of total and saturated fat (g/day), ascorbic acid (mg/day), fiber (g/day), and alcohol (g/day), and servings of fruits, vegetables, bread, bread and cereals, fish, and potatoes (data not shown). Except for ascorbic acid and cereal intake in women, and bread, bread and cereals, and potato intake in men, variations in intakes of these foods/nutrients were significantly explained by SOC quartile scores in linear GLM models (Type I SS; Tables 1 and 2). After standardization for age, BMI and education level SOC quartile scores still contributed in explaining intake of saturated fat, vegetables, sucrose and sweets in women and vegetables and alcohol in men (Type III SS; Tables 1 and 2). In accordance, mean (age, BMI and education standardized) intakes of vegetables were significantly higher in women and men (1.1 and 0.8 servings more per week, respectively) in the highest, compared to the lowest, quartiles (Tables 2 and 3). Women in the highest quartile also had higher intakes of fruits (+1.0 serving/week), but lower intake of energy (-365 kCal/week), total and saturated fat (-15 and -8 g/week, respectively), sucrose (-14 g/week), and sweets (-1.3 servings/week) (Table 1).

PLS multivariate modeling of intakes of the 84 single food items and food aggregates simultaneously as an X-matrix on SOC-scores (Y-matrix) rendered models which supported low SOC to coincide with a less health promoting dietary preference and vice versa. Thus, in both men and women low SOC scores coincided with high intake of pizza, soft drinks, candies, sausages for main course, hamburgers, mashed potato, chips and other snacks, potato salad, French fries, and traditional broth soaked bread and potato dumplings (Table 3, items in bold). In contrast, both men and women with high SOC scores were characterized by a high intake of rye crisp bread (whole meal), boiled potato, and vegetables (Table 3, items in bold). In addition, some more gender specific characteristic food selections are seen in Table 3.

The present study shows that a high sense of coherence (SOC) is associated with health-promoting food choices, whereas low scores are associated with a less favorable food pattern. SOC score independently contributed in explaining variations in intakes of vegetables in both men and women, and in intakes of saturated fat, sucrose, sweets, and fruits among women, and alcohol intake among men. Correlations for other nutrient/food intakes seen in the initial univariate evaluations, disappeared when tested together with age, BMI and educational level in multiple linear GLM modeling. This indicates that some dietary preferences and food selections are linked to socioeconomic status, whereas others are more bound to the individual's sense of coherence, i.e. his/her personal way of grasping and handling life situations.

Although the present results support earlier findings that associate high SOC scores with a more healthy diet [14‐17], the interpretations should be considered in relation to methodological strengths and limitations of the study. The Northern Sweden MONICA study cohort of 1999 consisted of 6,000 participants, corresponding to 71.8 % of the invited subjects. Of these 86% could be included in the present evaluation. All subjects were primarily invited to the study by random from a continuously updated population ledger. Taken together, this allows for generalization of the results to a population level, at least to a population similar to that in northern Sweden. Within the MONICA project, extensive quality assessments of various methods and measures have been performed [23], and both the SOC and food frequency questionnaires were printed in an optically readable format to minimize errors due to faulty entry of data. Furthermore, the food frequency questionnaire has been found valid in a random sub-sample of representative adults [20], and the Cronbach alpha value [24] among SOC answers, was 0.81, which is in accordance with other studies [10, 13, 15], indicates reliability and internal consistency among the answers [19]. However, the cross-sectional design of the study, where the SOC scores were measured at the same time as the food preferences, precludes the possibility of interpreting the identified associations as causally related.

The sense of coherence instrument has been constructed to measure an individual's capacity to cope in a salutogenic way [9]. In accordance with this the present study shows that the SOC level is associated with a "healthy" eating pattern. It has previously been shown that physically active individuals have higher SOC scores than inactive persons [25, 26]. The hypothesis that SOC links to life style in a wider sense is therefore supported, even though we are aware that it cannot be ruled out that a healthy life style per se may influence SOC. The four cross-sectional MONICA screenings in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1999 have demonstrated a distinct time trend in dietary intake in northern Sweden [27]. The present results therefore raise some questions. Are individuals with higher SOC more prone to change eating pattern? Are those changes more likely to follow dietary recommendations? Is a low SOC level a marker for a less healthy life style in general? Since all previous participants were re-called in 1999 answers may be searched for within the frame work of the MONICA project.

Notably, both men and women in the highest, as compared with the lowest SOC score quartile, reported more food choices from the contemporary public message of a healthy life style [6, 7]. In contrast, food selection in those in the lowest SOC-score quartile may render these individuals at a higher risk for various chronic diseases. Further knowledge of the influence of an individual's sense of coherence on his/her willingness and ability to change dietary habits may be of advantage when designing preventive programs.

Both men and women in the highest, as compared with the lowest, SOC score quartile reported more "healthy" food choices. Dietary habits for individuals in the lowest SOC quartile therefore may render a higher risk for various endemic diseases.