Nutritionists and doctors all over Finland are alarmed at deteriorating health figures, especially among younger generations. A rising number of Finnish citizens have eating disorders like bulemia and anorexia, and obesity, and decaying teeth.

On March 29, the TV station YLE commented that “one in five Finns of working age is overweight. On Wednesday, weights were measured in 150 health centers across the country. Last year, nearly half of those measured carried extra weight on their waistline. Weight carried on the midriff also increases the risk of adult onset diabetes, arterial diseases and high blood pressure.”

The Finnish food industry, seeing a market, continues to develop food that claims to lower cholesterol, help prevent caries, and reduce hunger.

UK monthly business and professional magazine Food Manufacture quotes Finland as one of the leading if not the leading country in the setup of a ‘health –oriented’ food industry, which it defines as food that keeps cholesterol low, your immune system in good condition, and supplies the right amount of vitamins and trace elements.  

And according to the Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation (ETL), Finland’s long summer days and bright nights accelerate plant growth and give better taste, and the winter cold prevents plant diseases and illnesses, for example fungal decay, from spreading.

But Oulu biologists say it’s not that simple. People buy food that claims to be healthy without knowing what the industry abbreviations mean, says Mirja Kavalaa, a student of biology majoring in biochemistry and microbiology at the University of Oulu.

“A very simple example every microbiologist could give you is the yoghurt that contains L. casei. Those products claim to be healthier than others but L. casei stands for Lactobacillus casei, a bacterium that does already naturally live in human intestines; since bacillus is associated with sickness the name was shortened. Casei is known to improve digestion and reduce milk intolerance, but people with gastric problems could suffer, because of the acetic acid it produces. Just because a label says healthy it’s not necessarily healthy for you.”   

And biologist Laure Jakola, Ph.D. researcher at the Department of Biology of the University of Oulu, agrees on principle that the Finnish climate has advantages but says that on the other hand only a certain number of plants can grow here.

 “Many plants need a certain rhythm or a milder climate and a longer summer period to fully grow. That limits the number of plants that can be grown here. Because of the short growing period, the number and variety of plant species that can grow in the Oulu region is limited. This is especially due to temperature limits. If the climate change increases the yearly heat summation permanently, the number and variety of plants that can be grown here will increase.”

For many Oululaiset, ‘health-orientated’ is a social issue engrained in concerns of time, taste, and price. “We want,” knows Marja Lund, a student at Oulu University, “tasty fast food that’s healthy.” Dorota Gruczka, 22, echoes her feeling. “We need healthy food but not the trouble involved. Almost every student I know eats fast-food.”

Caner Pisgin, a computer engineer, is cautious of his time and money. “Cooking is torture after a long day of work. Health is expensive in Finland. Market veg costs two or three euros a piece; I can get three cheese hamburgers at McDonalds for that, and they taste better.”

Others see such views as short-sighted. For Nina Lah, 23, a choice always exists. “You don't need more time; when you’re next at the store, just snack on fruit instead of doughnuts.” And for salesman Piet de Vriend, 25, eating well means learning to cook.  “When cooking it myself I'm free to choose what I put in my food,” he states. “It takes time but after a couple of months you can make most of the common dishes in less then 30 minutes. Frozen veg is a blessing.”

Another aspect of healthy food that arouses Oulu suspicions is genetic engineering. Some find the notion of engineered food appalling.

Traditionally, health food research has gone in two directions, either towards genetical modification of existing productsand ingredients or towards discovering new natural products that are healthy and can be consumed without debate over calories or illnesses.

Finland has been very active in the latter. According to Food Manufacture, the sugar xylitol – now widespread in chewing gum – was discovered by Finnish researchers in the nineteenth century, from birch trees. Xylitol is is approximately as sweet as sucrose but contains fourty precent less food energy.

Another ‘discovered’ product first marketed in Finland is the anti-cholestorol Benecol® margarine by Raisio Oyj, which reputedly contains plant sterol esters that decrease serum cholesterol by blocking its absorption into the body.  In 2007 the company sells not only sterol ester margarine, but also sterol ester yoghurt and yoghurt drinks.

Apart from its praise of Finnish research, Food Manufacture was also impressed with Finnish school meals. Finnfacts, an independent media service unit that operates as an interface between foreign media and Finnish industry, claims Finland has given children better food at schools for decades already. But student health is deteriorating nonetheless in 2006; Sitra, the national Fund of Research and Development, have implemented a nutrition and food program entitled “Jarkipalaa” or, in English, “Smart Snacks.”

Smart Snacks examines childrens’ eating habits at school. Analysing the eating habits of Finnish primary school kids of various ages during the next three years, the project aims at a permanent change in children's diet as well as regular physical exercise. Sitra hopes to prevent illness originating in unhealthy eating and living habits – to ensure, state Finfacts, that kids grow up into healthy adults.  Special attention is paid that food is healthy and tasty, both the school meals and ‘the in-between snacks.’ 

The Smart Snacks project draws on health and nutrition research as well as on experimental projects. HK Ruokatalo Oy, Valio Oy, Vaasan & Vaasan Oy, Raisio Oyj and Sodexho Oy are taking part, and even the University of Oulu. The Institute of Dentistry is also studying methods for reversing the downward trend in children’s dental health.

Sitra emphasises that many parents are passing on their bad eating habits to their children, and asks parents to guide their children in how much and what to eat. The fund, which is supervised by the Finnish parliament, plan to export Smart Snacks to other European countries in the near future.

Moderation, regularity, and enough physical exercise, say Finnfacts, is the key to health.