Lars Johansson

• Dr philos RD
• Retired at Norwegian Directorate of Health

Desire for weight change and level of dietary consciousness may severely bias reported food intake in dietary surveys. We evaluated to what degree under- and overreporting of energy intake (EI) was related to lifestyle, sociodemographic variables, and attitudes about body weight and diet in a nationwide dietary survey. Data were gathered by a self-...

The influence of dietary changes on serum cholesterol and CHD during the last century in Norway has been evaluated. Data on food consumption are based on national food supply and household consumption surveys. To be able to calculate comparable series of the dietary content of energy, fat, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the importance of social status and lifestyle for dietary habits, since these factors may influence life expectancy. We studied the association of four indicators for healthy dietary habits (fruits and vegetables, fibre, fat and Hegsted score) with sex, age, socio-economic status, education, physical lei...

Reduction of salt intake is a public health priority and necessitates the surveillance of salt intake in the population. The validity of salt intake assessed by dietary surveys is generally low. We, therefore, aimed to estimate salt intake by 24-h urine collection and to assess the usefulness of spot urine collection for surveillance purposes. In t...

Objective The mother-child breastfeeding dyad is a powerful force for achieving healthy, secure and sustainable food systems. However, food systems reports exclude breastfeeding and mother’s milk. To help correct this omission and give breastfeeding women greater visibility in food systems dialogue and action, we illustrate how to estimate mother’s...

Utviklingen i norsk kosthold 2024 - Matforsyningsstatistikk (Trends in the Norwegian diet 2024 – Food Balance Sheets). Norwegian 94 pages. Published 17.2.2025. Utviklingen i norsk kosthold 2024, fullversjon.pdf This year’s report presents the latest data for trends in the Norwegian food supply 1953 to 2023. During 2023 the consumption has decrea...

This year’s report presents the latest data for trends in the Norwegian food supply 1953 to 2023, the latest National Dietary Survey among adults (18-80 y) Norkost 4 2022-2023, Ipsos Norwegian Eating Facts 2023, and Norstat surveys about consumer attitudes 2024. During 2023 the consumption has decreased for meat total and red meat, fish, grains,...

The report presents data for trends in the Norwegian food supply 1953 to 2022. The report also includes data from surveys about dietary intake and consumer attitudes. This year's report provides the first figures for the wholesale consumption of foodstuffs in the aftermath of the covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a significant decrease in cros...

Evidence on what people eat globally is limited in scope and rigour, especially as it relates to children and adolescents. This impairs target setting and investment in evidence-based actions to support healthy sustainable diets. Here we quantified global, regional and national dietary patterns among children and adults, by age group, sex, educatio...

Abstract: The report presents data for the country's food supply up to and including 2020. The diet in Norway has developed positively over time. In relation to goals for the diet, the figures show both positive and negative features. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the food supply in 2020. Consumption of vegetables, fruits and berries has incre...

Abstract: The report presents data for the country's food supply up to and including 2020. The diet in Norway has developed positively over time. In relation to goals for the diet, the figures show both positive and negative features. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the food supply in 2020. Consumption of vegetables, fruits and berries has incre...

Summary Background Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a sta...

Background: In an era of shifting global agendas and expanded emphasis on non-communicable diseases and injuries along with communicable diseases, sound evidence on trends by cause at the national level is essential. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic scientific assessment of published, publ...

Background Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a standardise...

Background: The Nordic countries have commonalities in gender equality, economy, welfare, and health care, but differ in culture and lifestyle, which might create country-wise health differences. This study compared life expectancy, disease burden, and risk factors in the Nordic region. Methods: Life expectancy in years and age-standardised rate...

Background: Suboptimal diet is an important preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs); however, its impact on the burden of NCDs has not been systematically evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the consumption of major foods and nutrients across 195 countries and to quantify the impact of their suboptimal intake on NCD mortal...

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) provides a comprehensive assessment of risk factor exposure and attributable burden of disease. By providing estimates over a long time series, this study can monitor risk exposure trends critical to health surveillance and inform policy debates on the impo...

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) provides a comprehensive assessment of risk factor exposure and attributable burden of disease. By providing estimates over a long time series, this study can monitor risk exposure trends critical to health surveillance and inform policy debates on the importance of add...

Background Saturated fat (SFA), ω‐6 (n‐6) polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), and trans fat (TFA) influence risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but attributable CHD mortalities by country, age, sex, and time are unclear. Methods and Results National intakes of SFA, n‐6 PUFA, and TFA were estimated using a Bayesian hierarchical model based on country‐spe...

Table S1. Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Attributable to Saturated Fat, ω‐6 Polyunsaturated Fat, and Trans Fat in 2010 by Country, Age, and Sex Table S2. Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Attributable to Saturated Fat, ω‐6 Polyunsaturated Fat, and Trans Fat in 1990 by Country, Age, and Sex

Abstract BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), fruit juice, and milk are components of diet of major public health interest. To-date, assessment of their global distributions and health impacts has been limited by insufficient comparable and reliable data by country, age, and sex. OBJECTIVE: To quantify global, regional, and national leve...

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To quantify global intakes of key foods related to non-communicable diseases in adults by region (n=21), country (n=187), age and sex, in 1990 and 2010. DESIGN: We searched and obtained individual-level intake data in 16 age/sex groups worldwide from 266 surveys across 113 countries. We combined these data with food balance sh...

Abstract OBJECTIVES: To quantify global consumption of key dietary fats and oils by country, age, and sex in 1990 and 2010. DESIGN: Data were identified, obtained, and assessed among adults in 16 age- and sex-specific groups from dietary surveys worldwide on saturated, omega 6, seafood omega 3, plant omega 3, and trans fats, and dietary cholester...

Abstract OBJECTIVES: To quantify global consumption of key dietary fats and oils by country, age, and sex in 1990 and 2010. DESIGN: Data were identified, obtained, and assessed among adults in 16 age- and sex-specific groups from dietary surveys worldwide on saturated, omega 6, seafood omega 3, plant omega 3, and trans fats, and dietary cholester...

Abstract OBJECTIVES: To quantify global consumption of key dietary fats and oils by country, age, and sex in 1990 and 2010. DESIGN: Data were identified, obtained, and assessed among adults in 16 age- and sex-specific groups from dietary surveys worldwide on saturated, omega 6, seafood omega 3, plant omega 3, and trans fats, and dietary cholester...

Abstract BACKGROUND: High sodium intake increases blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but the effects of sodium intake on global cardiovascular mortality are uncertain. METHODS: We collected data from surveys on sodium intake as determined by urinary excretion and diet in persons from 66 countries (accounting for 74.1% of ad...

OBJECTIVES: To estimate global, regional (21 regions) and national (187 countries) sodium intakes in adults in 1990 and 2010. DESIGN: Bayesian hierarchical modelling using all identifiable primary sources. DATA SOURCES AND ELIGIBILITY: We searched and obtained published and unpublished data from 142 surveys of 24 h urinary sodium and 103 of diet...

Johansson L. Dietary fatty acids-changes in attitudes and consumption. Oral presentation. Abstract B02-07. 31st International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition 27th-30th June 2013, Dubrovnik.

Objective: Review current knowledge about dietary habits among people with diabetes in Norway compared with the general population and nutrient- and food-based dietary recommendations. Method: Baseline dietary data from four intervention studies in subjects with type 2 diabetes, were merged (n=92) and compared with data extracted from a nationwide...

strong> SAMMENDRAG Kunnskap om endringer i matvarenes sammensetning og befolkningens kosthold er grunnleggende for utforming og oppfølging av en helsefremmende mat- og ernæringspolitikk. Dagens system for overvåking av kostholdet bygger først og fremst på en matvaredatabase og opplysninger om forbruket av matvarer fra tre typer datasett; matforsyn...

strong> ABSTRACT Semi-quantitative food frequency data from a nation-wide, representative sample of 2677 Norwegian men and women were analysed to identify food categories contributing most to absolute intake and between-person variation in intake of energy and nine nutrients. The 149 food categories in the questionnaire were ranked according to th...

Background. Measures aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption were implemented in the 1990ies. Official recommendations were published in 1996. The objective of this paper is to describe fruit and vegetable intake before and after introduction of the official recommendation. Material and methods. Data were obtained from Food Balance Shee...

Intake of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids should be limited, as high intakes may increase the risk of coronary heart disease. There is no up-to-date information on intake of trans fatty acids in the Norwegian population. Information on trans fatty acid content in foods in 2003 from a survey among Norwegian food manufacturers and importe...

We compared feeding practices between infants of high ponderal index (PI) at birth (PI above the 90th percentile) and normal PI at birth (PI between 10th and 90th percentiles), and examined how birth size and infant feeding practices were related to body mass index (BMI) at 12 months. In a cohort of 3000 infants invited to participate in a national...

The validity of fruit and vegetable intake estimated by 14 d weighed records, a twenty-seven-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and a 180-item FFQ was investigated using serum carotenoids as the validity criterion. In addition, the method of triads was used to assess the validity of fruit and vegetable intake estimated from the FFQ and serum c...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence rate of overweight and obesity in a nationwide survey of fourth- and eighth-grade Norwegian schoolchildren, the changes in overweight rates among eighth graders from 1993 to 2000, and to investigate factors associated with overweight. Cross-sectional dietary surveys were conducted on na...

Nutrition and food policy has a relatively long history in Norway. It started around 1930 when an official school breakfast was introduced for all children in primary schools (1). At the same time the Norwegian Medical Association took the initiative to study the interrelation among income, nutrition, and health (2). This issue created an intense d...

To analyse factors associated with breast-feeding and use of sweetened drinks at 12 months, and to compare dietary habits among breast-fed and non-breast-fed infants. Data were collected by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire filled in by the parents. National dietary survey in Norway. In total, 1932 12-month-old infants were included....

To examine dietary iodine sources and to estimate the dietary iodine intake of the Norwegian population. Food iodine analyses carried out in Norway during the last 10 years were compiled, and iodine intake calculated on the basis of food intake data from nation-wide dietary surveys among children and adults. The food intake of adults was measured b...

It is debated whether the intake of added sugar displaces micronutrient-rich foods and dilutes the nutrient density of the diet, and whether there is a link between sugar and the increased rate of obesity. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of added sugar on the intakes of energy, micronutrients, fruit and vegetables, and to ex...

A higher socio-economic level is associated with healthier dietary habits. Nevertheless, socio-economic differences in the intake of fat have not consistently been reported in Europe. The objective of our study was to systematically assess differences in total fat (TF) intake and saturated fat (SF) intake across social groups. Representative sample...

Simple screening tools to identify intake of fruit, vegetables and fat are necessary to design effective public health intervention strategies in order to increase intake of fruit and vegetable and to reduce fat intake. 108 men recorded their food intake for 14 days and filled in a 27-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) 1.5-2 months later. Esti...

Objective: To describe the rationale and methods for a European project (EFCOSUM) to develop a method for a European food consumption survey that delivers internationally comparable data on a set of policy-relevant nutritional indicators. Rationale and methods: Currently Member States are collecting data and information for use at national level...

To present disparities in consumption of vegetables and fruits in Europe and to discuss how educational level, region and level of consumption influence the variation. A review of selected studies from 1985 to 1997. 33 studies (13 dietary surveys, nine household budget surveys and 11 health behaviour surveys) representing 15 European countries were...

To evaluate the differences in the consumption of fruit and vegetables between groups with different socio-economic status (SES) in the adult population of European countries. A systematic review of published and unpublished surveys of food habits conducted between 1985 and 1999 in 15 European countries. Educational level and occupational status we...

Objective: To evaluate the differences in the consumption of fruit and vegetables between groups with different socio-economic status (SES) in the adult population of European countries. Design: A systematic review of published and unpublished surveys of food habits conducted between 1985 and 1999 in 15 European countries. Educational level and...

SAMMENDRAGKunnskap om endringer i matvarenes sammensetning og befolkningens kosthold er grunnleggende for utformingog oppfølging av en helsefremmende mat- og ernæringspolitikk. Dagens system for overvåking avkostholdet bygger først og fremst på en matvaredatabase og opplysninger om forbruket av matvarer fra tretyper datasett; matforsyningsstatistik...

The authors examined the validity of a self-administered 180-item food frequency questionnaire in 125 Norwegian men aged 20–55 years who filled in the questionnaire and completed 14-day weighed records in fall 1995 to winter 1995/6. Spearman correlation coefficients between the two measurements ranged from 0.42 for percent of energy from fat to 0.6...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the importance of social status and lifestyle for dietary habits, since these factors may influence life expectancy. We studied the association of four indicators for healthy dietary habits (fruits and vegetables, fibre, fat and Hegsted score) with sex, age, socio-economic status, education, physical lei...

Increased intake of vegetables and fruit may improve public health. A Nordic working group has evaluated the possibilities of achieving comparable and regular data at an individual level about the intake of potatoes, vegetables, fruit and berries among the populations of the Nordic countries. The working group considered that existing per capita st...

Befolkningens kosthold er stort sett i tråd med anbefalingene fra Statens råd for ernæring og fysisk aktivitet. Kostholdet har imidlertid fortsatt noen klare helsemessige svakheter. Særlig inneholder det for mye mettet fett og for lite av matvarer rike på kostfiber som grovt brød, poteter, grønnsaker og frukt. Dette viste både den første og den and...

Befolkningens kosthold er stort sett i tråd med anbefalingene fra Statens råd for ernæring og fysisk aktivitet (tidligere Statens ernæringsråd). Det har imidlertid fortsatt noen klare helsemessige svakheter. Særlig inneholder det for mye mettet fett og for lite av matvarer rike på kostfiber som grovt brød, poteter, grønnsaker og frukt. Dette viste...

Little information is available about the intake of very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids in random samples of populations. We examined if the intake of these fatty acids was associated with gender, social status and lifestyle in a similar way as other indicators for a healthy diet in a nationwide survey. Data were obtained from self-administered quantit...

Trans fatty acids are formed by partial hydrogenation of vegetable and marine oils or by bacterial activity in the rumen of ruminants. Main dietary sources are margarine, meat, milk fat and bakery products. Unsaturated fatty acids in the trans form have a more straight structure than their cis counterparts. They therefore have properties more like...

Norwegian society has undergone major changes in the 20th century, also with regard to its dietary habits. During the first half of the century dietary changes were characterised by a substantial decrease in the consumption of cereals and an increase in the use of margarine and other foods rich in fat. In the past 30 years there has been a major de...

Trans fatty acids are formed by partial hydrogenation of vegetable and marine oils or by bacterial activity in the rumen of ruminants. Main dietary sources are margarine, meat, milk fat and bakery products. Unsaturated fatty acids in the trans form have a more straight structure than their cis counterparts. They therefore have properties more like...

Objectives: To evaluate the use of a self-administered quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) in a national dietary survey concerning (a) response rates with different distribution methods and reward; (b) degree of underreporting of energy intake; (c) reproducibility of the QFFQ; and (d) seasonal variation on reported intake. Design and...

Befolkningens kosthold er stort sett i tråd med anbefalingene fra Statens ernæringsråd. Det har imidlertid fortsatt noen klare helsemessige svakheter. Særlig inneholder det for mye mettet fett og for lite fiber, frukt og grønnsaker. Dette viser den første norske landsomfattende kostholdsundersøkelsen blant voksne. Kostholdet ble kartlagt i et utval...

A working group appointed by the Norwegian Nutrition Council has assessed the need to add nutrients to food available on the Norwegian market. The working group agrees with the present recommendation that fortification of food should only be undertaken when this may be of importance for public health. It is the opinion of the working group that the...

The content of trans fatty acids in the Norwegian diet was calculated based on information from the food industry, on food consumption according to food balance sheets 1986, household consumption surveys 1958, 1977-79, 1989-91, and on a dietary survey in a nationwide sample of 1564 pupils aged 18 years in 1993. The intake of trans fatty acids is es...

The Norwegian diet during the last hundred years in relation to coronary heart disease. M Master's thesis, University of Oslo, 1993. Pages 142. The influence of dietary changes on serum cholesterol and CHD during the last century in Norway has been evaluated. Data on food consumption are based on national food supply and household consumption surv...

The main goal of the Norwegian food and nutrition policy for the period 1975-1990 was to reduce the fat content in the diet to 35% of the energy supply. Our latest data on food supply and consumption show that this target has been reached, and that dietary fat now contributes to 34% of the energy. The dietary changes have probably contributed to th...

The main goal of the Norwegian policy on food and nutrition for the period 1975-1990 is to reduce the proportion of fat in the diet to 35 per cent of the energy supply. This should be achieved through a gradual change in diet. Figures on food supply and consumption show that this target has been reached. The dietary changes have probably contribute...