Disparities in dietary habits and physical activity in Denmark and trends from 1995 to 2008

Aims: To examine social disparities in dietary-, alcohol- and leisure-time physical activity habits in Danish adults from 1995 to 2008 and to test the hypothesis of widening disparities. Methods: Four cross-sectional surveys of representative samples of the Danish population aged 20–75 years were analysed, a total of 7900 respondents. Dietary and alcohol habits were measured by a 7-day pre-coded food diary and physical activity and education by a face-to-face interview. Multivariate analyses were used to test associations between explanatory variables and response variables and the hypothesis of widening disparities. Results: In all analyses, both diet quality and physical inactivity differed systematically with educational group and with healthier habits for the group with long education. Only for alcohol habits was an opposite social gradient seen. Disparities persisted over all time periods. The analyses using “The Concentration Index” did not change any of the conclusions. Gender also influenced diet quality. Men had dietary and alcohol habits furthest away from the guidelines. A trend of healthier habits was also found over the time period. Conclusions: Social disparities in diet quality and leisure-time physical activity were seen for all examined time periods and with no significant change. Therefore, there is no support to the hypothesis of widening social disparities. In all educational groups some improvement of dietary habits was found, especially for those foods where comprehensive initiatives had taken place. However, social disparities still exist. There is an ongoing need to address these disparities in order to reduce social inequality in health.