Relationship between smoking and diet: The MONICA‐France project

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Abstract
The association between smoking habits and diet was examined in a sample of 1126 men, aged 45–64 years, from the general population living in the three French MONICA monitoring areas: Bas‐Rhin (BR) (n = 346), Haute‐Garonne (HG) (n = 400) and Urban Community of Lille (UCL) (n = 380). Diet was assessed by the 3‐day record method. The energy and nutrient intakes were calculated for each of the 3 centres, using the same food composition tables. Alcohol consumption was higher among smokers (P < 0.001). Taking into account alcohol consumption, age, body mass index, centre, educational level and family size, the analyses showed no difference in non‐alcoholic energy intake, proteins, carbohydrates, and total fat. However, smokers had a lower intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.05) and dietary fibre (P < 0.01) than non‐smokers. With regard to food items, smokers had a higher intake of sucrose (P < 0.05) and a lower intake of vegetables (P < 0.001), dairy products (P < 0.05) and cheese (P < 0.05). These results suggest that analyses in future epidemiological research regarding the role of diet in the aetiology of tobacco‐related diseases should consider this association of potential risk factors.