Norwegians dropping traditional diet

NORWAY - The traditional Norwegian staples of fish and potatoes are being steadily phased out in favour of meat and vegetables, according to a new report from the Directorate for Health and Social Affairs. Nutrition experts are not happy with the trend, and complain that even the best one, rising vegetable intake, is not up to ideal levels, newspaper Aftenposten reports.

Meat consumption is at record levels, and including private border shopping in Sweden, which is estimated at 21 million kilos a year, the average Norwegian now eats 73 kilos of meat a year.

Since 1979 consumption of poultry is up by a factor of five, while pork is up 25% and beef up 15%. Ground meats and sausage sales are also up over the past ten years.

The directorate now wants to actively promote fish but faces an uphill battle in reviving interest in this national staple.

The information offices for meat, egg and poultry have a combined annual budget of NOK75m (US$11.8m), compared to the Norwegian Seafood Export Council's NOK7m budget, which not only concentrates on export, but has its promotion budget tied to its income levels – so when less fish is exported, they have less money for domestic campaigns.

26 January 2005