Kostvanor

kostvanor, or dietary habits, refer to the habitual patterns of eating and drinking that characterize an individual or a population. This includes what foods are consumed, portion sizes, meal frequency and timing, snacking, and beverage choices. Kostvanor are shaped by cultural norms, availability, economics, religion, taste preferences, health status, and life stage, and they can change over time.

Research on kostvanor relies on dietary assessment methods such as 24‑hour recalls, food diaries/records, and food frequency questionnaires. These measures aim to capture usual intake but are subject to reporting errors and seasonality. Diet quality indices and pattern analysis (for example, Mediterranean or Western dietary patterns) are used to summarize kostvanor.

Kostvanor influence and reflect nutritional status and health risk. They are associated with risks for obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and nutrient deficiencies or excesses, depending on the pattern. They interact with physical activity, genetics, and comorbidities, and are a focus of public health efforts to promote healthier eating.

In many populations, kostvanor are changing due to urbanization, globalization, and policy changes, leading to increased availability of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, but also growing interest in plant-based and seafood-rich patterns. Public health strategies seek to improve kostvanor through education, food environment changes, and economic incentives.

See also: Diet, Dietary pattern, Nutrition, Nutritional epidemiology.