Dietary habits for non-smoking females living with smokers or non-smokers

Background: To investigate whether dietary habits among non-smoking females were different between those living with smokers and non-smokers in two countries. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 5,000 females in Sweden and Switzerland. After selection regarding smoking habits, a questionnaire on life style factors and diet was distributed. Results: Females living with smokers showed strong tendencies to be overrepresented among those with less frequent consumption of vegetables, fruit and fibre-rich food and in Switzerland among those with a more less frequent consumption of alcohol. Conclusions: The results suggest that non-smoking females living with smokers or non-smokers differ in their dietary habits. Some smokers' habits represent risk factors for disease and should be controlled for in studies on environmental tobacco smoke.