Objective: To compare dietary habits between Finnish twin migrants to Sweden and their co-twins always living in Finland, and to analyse how migration influenced food consumption patterns in the migrants. Subjects/Methods: Same-sexed twin pairs born in Finland below 75 years of age, with at least one twin migrating to Sweden(n=1083 pairs). Dietary habits were assessed by a food frequency questionnaire included in a comprehensive mailed questionnaire (response rate 71%). For 76 male twin pairs, information was also collected by a dietary history interview inquiring the habitual diet during the previous year. Results: Migrant twins in Sweden had a lower intake of typical Finnish foods like dark bread and berries, and an increased consumption of fresh fruit compared with co-twins living in Finland. The migrants consumed less potatoes and more rice and pasta. Sweet pastries were consumed less often by the migrants and they also tended to more often cut out visible fat of meat and on the other hand add salt to dishes. Among men the migrants had a lower alcohol intake than their co-twins living in Finland. Conclusions: Migration from Finland to Sweden is associated with differences in the food pattern that reflect population differences in eating habits between the two countries. The differences include a reduced consumption of typical Finnish foods like dark bread and berries and are of bidirectional nature from the point of view of cardiovascular health.
Aim To analyse survival after a first myocardial infarction among immigrants in Stockholm, Sweden. Methods All cases of first myocardial infarction among persons 30–74 years of age during 1985–1996 in Stockholm, Sweden were identified using registers of hospital discharges and deaths. Cases surviving 28 days were followed with regard to mortality during one year. Information on country of birth was obtained from national censuses and from a register on immigration. Early mortality was analysed by odds ratios (OR) through logistic regression and 1 year mortality by hazard ratios (HR) through cox proportional hazards regression. Results Male immigrants had a lower mortality within 28 days after a first myocardial infarction compared to Sweden-born after adjustment for socioeconomic status (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.76–0.94). Among women there was a weak similar tendency (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.76–1.10). There were essentially no differences overall between foreign-born and Sweden-born in 1-year-mortality after adjustment for socioeconomic status (men HR 1.13; 95% CI 0.91–1.41; women HR 0.90; 95% CI 0.61–1.34). Conclusion Immigrants in Sweden in general do not seem to have a higher mortality after a first myocardial infarction than Sweden-born, in particular when differences in socioeconomic status are accounted for. A higher CHD mortality in immigrants appears to be primarily due to an elevated disease incidence.