About the project
The Nordic monitoring of Diet, Physical Activity and Overweight 2023 (The NORMO study) aims to investigate status and trends related to diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, overweight, alcohol consumption, the use of tobacco, snuff, and e-cigarettes, the environmental impact of diet and physical activity, and social inequality, in the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. This is the third data collection in the NORMO project after previous data collections in 2011 and 2014. Pilot studies were carried out in Norway and Sweden in January-March 2023 to test participants understanding of the questions, length of interview, and perception of the invitation letter.
To answer the objectives of the study, we will conduct structured telephone-based interviews in a representative net sample of 1,000 adults aged 18-65 and 500 guardians of children aged 7-12. Participants will receive an invitation letter with information about the study by SMS one week before they are contacted by one of our interviewers from Norstat. The interviewers will attempt to contact the participant up to six times. If no contact is achieved after this, the participant will receive an invitation to participate in a web-based questionnaire. After data collection, anonymised data is transferred to the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) who washes and processes the data.
Objectives
The study specifically aims to:
(1) Estimate time trends and changes in consumption of selected foods, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, overweight and obesity, sustainability, alcohol consumption (adults only), and use of tobacco, snuff and e-cigarettes (adults only) among adults and children in the Nordics
(2) Compare results between the Nordic countries
(3) Compare results with recommendations on diet and physical activity
(4) Investigate social inequality in diet, physical activity, overweight, obesity, alcohol consumption, and use of tobacco, snuff and e-cigarettes in the Nordic population
(5) Compare results with goals and visions in "A better life through diet and physical activity: Nordic plan of action on better health and quality of life through diet and physical activity" (WHO Global Nutrition Policy Review 2009-2010)
Outcomes
The results from this study will contribute with updated information to the ongoing monitoring of health behaviors in the Nordic population. The results will be published in a report and in articles.
Cooperation
The study is a collaboration between the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the Swedish Food Agency, Icelandic Directorate of Health, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Department of Nutrition at the University of Oslo.
Financing
The study is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers.