PurposeThis study investigates how the consumption of sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages has changed across birth cohorts. In addition, this study examines how the socio-economic gaps in the consumption of said products have evolved across birth cohorts.Design/methodology/approachThe research data are drawn from the Finnish household expenditure surveys covering the period 1985–2016 (n = 44,286). An age-period-cohort methodology is utilised through the age-period-cohort-trended lag model. The model assumes that the linear long-term component of change is caused by generations replacing one-another, and that the age effect is similar across cohorts.FindingsSugar products and non-alcoholic beverages occupied a larger portion of more recent birth cohorts' food baskets. Cohort differences were larger in beverage consumption. Lower income was associated with a higher food expenditure share of sugar products in several cohorts. A higher education level was linked to a higher food expenditure share of sugar products in more cohorts than a lower education level. In cohorts born before the 1950s, non-alcoholic beverages occupied a larger portion of the food baskets of the high socio-economic status groups. This gap reversed over time, leading to larger food expenditure shares of non-alcoholic beverages in low socio-economic status groups.Originality/valueThis study assessed how the consumption of sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages has changed across birth cohorts. In addition, this study assessed how socio-economic differences in the consumption of said products have changed. The results highlight that sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages occupy larger portions of more recent birth cohorts’ food baskets. The results also highlight a reversal of socioeconomic differences in non-alcoholic beverage consumption.

PurposePrevious research has shown that in contemporary societies, women have a healthier dietary intake than men. However, no research has examined how this gender gap develops over the long term. The present study examined how gender differences in fresh vegetable intake frequency have evolved from 1979 to 2017 in Finland and whether differences are affected by age or educational level.Design/methodology/approachThe data were derived from annually repeated, nationally representative “Health Behaviour and Health among the Finnish Adult Population” and “Regional Health and Well-being (RHW)” surveys on the health habits of the Finnish population. The dataset is a time series of repeated cross-sectional surveys. In total, the data sample comprised 161,996 Finns aged 20–64 years. Descriptive methods and logistic regression were used for the analysis.FindingsDuring 1979–2017, the prevalence of daily vegetable intake increased from 12 to 35% among men and from 18 to 56% among women. Thus, the magnitude of the gap between genders doubled across the study period. The increased vegetable intake was partly explained by the changing education and age structures of society. Potential explanations and avenues for future research are also discussed. Policy implications depend on whether the findings are interpreted as a case of health differences or health inequality.Originality/valueThis study used a long time series to analyse how gender differences in vegetable intake have evolved in a Nordic welfare state context. It showed that the gap in fresh vegetable intake between men and women has widened.

Finland's population is ageing due to declining fertility and increasing life expectancy rates. This creates pressure to maintain high employment rates. Lately, Finland has focused on extending working careers by raising statutory pension age and facilitating part-time employment for pensioners. Finland faces high unemployment rates, low re-employment among over 55-year olds and high gender inequality in pension levels. Gender and educational inequality in pensions reflect the employment gaps and sectoral segregation that have accumulated along lifecourses. Finland aims to extend working life by promoting wellbeing at work, increasing labour market flexibility and supporting workers' competitiveness through various strategies. The latest reforms on unemployment activation and possible future reforms on the regional government, health and social services and basic income will likely affect pension intentions. To ensure equal levels of pensions, future reforms should focus on whole lifecourses and account for breaks in working life, such as parental leave and unemployment periods.

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Ilmastonmuutos uhkaa ruoantuotannon edellytyksiä, mutta toisaalta ruoantuotanto ja kulutustottumukset vaikuttavat ilmastonmuutokseen. Kestävän kehityksen osalta ilmasto- ja terveysnäkökulmat tulisi huomioida samanaikaisesti. Suomen keskeisimmät kansanterveysongelmat ovat elintapaperäiset sairaudet sekä väestöryhmien väliset terveyserot. Ilmasto- ja terveysnäkökulmat yhdistyvät ainutlaatuisesti ruoan, etenkin kalan, kulutuksessa. Kuluttajat etsivät vaihtoehtoja lihan kulutukselle niin terveys- kuin ilmastonäkökohtien motivoimina. Väestöryhmät eivät kuitenkaan omaksu uusia kulutustottumuksia tasaisesti. Eräiden tutkimusten mukaan lyhin tie terveyttä ja ympäristöystävällisyyttä samanaikaisesti parantaviin ruokatottumuksiin olisivat kalaan ja kasvikunnan tuotteisiin pohjautuvat semivegetaariset tai pescovegetaariset ruokavaliot. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää miten tuloilla ja koulutuksella mitatun sosioekonomisen aseman yhteys kalan kulutukseen on muuttunut suomalaisissa kotitalouksissa vuosina 1985−2016 ja miten kotitalouden viitehenkilön ikä, kotitalouden tyyppi ja kotikunnan kaupunkimaisuus vaikuttavat tähän yhteyteen. Aineistona käytettiin Tilastokeskuksen kulutustutkimusaineistojen aikasarjaa, johon sisältyy kahdeksan poikkileikkausta vuosilta 1985–2016 (n=44286). Kalan kulutusta mitattiin osuutena kokonaisruokamenoista. Kuvailevien menetelmien lisäksi käytettiin lineaarista regressioanalyysiä. Tulosten mukaan ylimmän ja alimman tulokvintiilin väliset erot kalan kulutuksessa kasvoivat 2000-luvulla, mutta peruskoulutettujen ja ylemmän korkea-asteen koulutuksen saaneiden väliset erot pysyivät maltillisina ja vakaina koko tarkastelujakson ajan. Tuloryhmien välillä havaittujen erojen kasvun arvioidaan liittyvän muun muassa kalan hinnan muutoksiin sekä kasvaneeseen ilmasto- ja terveystietoisuuteen. Artikkeli luo pohjaa ilmastoystävällisten ja terveellisten kulutusvalintojen edistämiseen tähtääville toimenpiteille ja jatkotutkimuksille.