Social determinants, lifestyle and diet quality: a population-based study from the 2015 Health Survey of São Paulo, Brazil

Associations between Four Diet Quality Indexes and High Blood Pressure among Adults: Results from the 2015 Health Survey of Sao Paulo

Several dietary quality indexes (DQIs) have been proposed to investigate adherence to a healthy diet. However, only a few studies have been conducted to investigate their association with high blood pressure (BP) in Brazil. In the present work, we examine the association between four established DQIs-2020 Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2020), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and Brazilian Healthy Eating Index (BHEI)-and high BP in a cross-sectional sample of Brazilian adults from the 2015 Health Survey of São Paulo with Focus on Nutrition. Based on two 24 h recalls adjusted for the within-person variation, higher HEI-2020 and BHEI total scores were inversely related to elevated BP (HEI-2020: OR 0.94, BHEI: OR 0.95). Individuals at the second quartile (OR 0.33) and the fourth quartile of BHEI (OR 0.35), as well as individuals with higher scores on dairy components (HEI-2020: OR 0.80, BHEI: OR 0.83, DASH: OR 0.75), and fruit components (AHEI: OR 0.82, HEI-2020: OR 0.72, BHEI: OR 0.77, DASH: OR 0.79) also presented lower odds for the occurrence of elevated BP. In conclusion, healthier diet quality using the HEI-2020 and BHEI indexes and the fruit and dairy components were identified as protective factors for high BP.

Food healthiness judgements among Brazilian and German lay adults

This study investigated which foods are most saliently judged as healthy and unhealthy in Brazil and Germany and the reasons for these judgements. Dietary guidelines in the two countries differ in that those in Brazil are based on a food processing classification rather than nutrient profiling, whereas dietary guidelines in Germany do not include the processing level of food. In an online study with 355 lay adults (Brazil n = 205, Germany n = 150), we explored which foods are listed as healthy and unhealthy using a free-listing method. The main reasons for these healthiness judgements were then identified with a one or two-word phrase and compared between countries. Saliency analysis was conducted to identify the 15 most salient healthy and unhealthy foods in each country. Principles of content analysis were used to assess the reasons why these 15 items were listed as most salient by the participants. Results showed that both Brazilians and Germans listed mostly natural or minimally processed food (e.g. fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and milk) as healthy, whereas types of convenience and fast food, sweets and other ultra-processed foods (e.g. chocolate, soda, French fries, pizza and hamburger) were the most salient unhealthy items listed in both countries. Differences in culturally relevant items listed in each country are discussed. Further, in both countries, despite differences in their dietary guidelines, food healthiness judgements for the most salient items listed relied heavily on the nutritional content of food, reinforced the 'good/healthy' and 'bad/unhealthy' dichotomy, and were centred on benefits or harms to the body (e.g. prevention or cause of diseases and weight control). The similarity of food healthiness judgements between the two countries, together with their agreement with conventional health claims and dietary guidelines, suggest that lay Brazilian and German adults are knowledgeable about the general concepts of 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' food. Finally, these findings suggest that rather than just providing more nutritional information, policymakers and health professionals need to take into account the multiple psychosocial and environmental determinants of eating in these countries.

Factors associated with diet quality among Brazilian individuals with cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND

An individual's dietary pattern contributes in different ways to the prevention and control of recurrent cardiovascular events. However, the quality of the diet is influenced by several factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of the diet of individuals with cardiovascular diseases and determine whether there is an association between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study carried out with individuals with atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease) recruited from 35 reference centres for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in Brazil. Diet quality was assessed according to the Modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index (mAHEI) and stratified into tertiles. For comparing two groups, the Mann-Whitney or Pearson's chi-squared tests were used. However, for comparing three or more groups, analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis was used. For the confounding analysis, a multinomial regression model was used. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

In total, 2360 individuals were evaluated: 58.5% male and 64.2% elderly. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of the mAHEI was 24.0 (20.0-30.0), ranging from 0.4 to 56.0 points. When comparing the odds ratios (ORs) for the low (first tertile) and medium (second tertile) diet quality groups with the high-quality group (third tertile), it was observed that there was an association between diet quality with a family income of 1.885 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.302-2.729) and 1.566 (95% CI = 1.097-2.235), as well as physical activity of 1.391 (95% CI = 1.107-1.749) and 1.346 (95% CI = 1.086-1.667), respectively. In addition, associations were observed between diet quality and region of residence.

CONCLUSIONS

A low-quality diet was associated with family income, sedentarism and geographical area. These data are extremely relevant to assist in coping with cardiovascular disease because they enable an assessment of the distribution of these factors in different regions of the country.

High Prevalence of Energy and Nutrients Inadequacy among Brazilian Older Adults

Poor nutrition increases the risk of diseases and adverse health outcomes in older adults. We evaluated the potential inadequacy of nutrient intake among older adults in Brazil and its association with body anthropometry and composition outcomes. Dietary intake was obtained from 295 community-living older adults (>60 years old), of both genders, using a seven-day food record. Nutrient inadequacy was further identified based on the Dietary Reference Intakes and European Guidelines. Skeletal muscle mass (SM), strength and performance, and the diagnosis of sarcopenia were assessed using reference methods. Nutritional inadequacy was high, with energy, dietary fiber, and six micronutrients exhibiting the greatest inadequacy levels (>80%). Energy intake was correlated with SM strength (p = 0.000) and performance (p = 0.001). Inadequate energy, fiber, and protein intakes influenced BMI, while inadequate intake of vitamin B6 directly affected the diagnosis of sarcopenia (p ≤ 0.005). Further research is required to investigate whether these inadequacies can be associated with other clinical health outcomes.

Prevalence of Excess Sodium Intake and Their Corresponding Food Sources in Adults from the 2017–2018 Brazilian National Dietary Survey

Excessive sodium intake has been related to high blood pressure, a central risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In the present work, updated estimates of sodium intake, the main food sources, and the prevalence of excessive intakes in a nationwide multi-ethnic sample of Brazilian adults (2017–2018 Brazilian National Dietary Survey) were presented. Based on two 24-h recalls adjusted for the within-person variation, the overall median of sodium intake was 2432 mg. The prevalence of adults exceeding the recommended limits (tolerable upper limit, UL, and the chronic disease risk reduction cut-off point, CDRR) was 61% and 56%, respectively. The median sodium intake and proportion of individuals above the limits varied according to the subgroups evaluated. Males and adults (20–29 years) presented the highest excessive sodium intakes, and consequently, lowest adherence rates to UL and CDRR recommendations. The top food sources of sodium were white bread and toast (12.3%), beans (11.6%), white rice (10.6%), beef (7.7%), and poultry meat (5.5%). Given the health benefits of dietary sodium reduction, it would be advisable to enhance the current national initiatives of awareness and educational campaigns’ combined efforts to reduce sodium in processed foods to effectively decrease this micronutrient intake across the Brazilian population.

Ocorrência simultânea de uso abusivo de álcool e alimentação não saudável em adultos

Objetivo Estimar a prevalência da coocorrência do uso abusivo de álcool e alimentação não saudável em adultos brasileiros e verificar sua relação com o consumo alimentar, segundo o sexo. Métodos Estudo com dados do inquérito telefônico Vigitel, 2016. Considerou-se uso abusivo de álcool: ingestão ≥5 doses/homens e ≥4/mulheres em uma única ocasião, pelo menos uma vez no último mês. Alimentação não saudável foi caracterizada a partir de um indicador composto por oito alimentos. Foram usados os testes Qui-quadrado de Pearson e Wald, com nível de significância de 5%, e razões de chances ajustadas com regressão logística. Resultados A coocorrência dos fatores de risco (24,7% vs. 10,0%) foi superior nos homens, nos indivíduos com melhor escolaridade, sem cônjuge, com plano de saúde, nas mulheres que se declararam pretas, e foi menor nos adultos (40-59 anos) e idosos. A coocorrência associou-se com menores chances de consumo de hortaliças cruas e cozidas, frutas, suco, leite e frango (≥5 dias/semana), e com maiores chances de consumo de carne vermelha, refrigerante (≥3 dias/semana) e carnes com excesso de gordura. Conclusão Os resultados mostram os prejuízos da coocorrência do uso excessivo de álcool e alimentação inadequada sobre os padrões alimentares da população adulta.

Low Adherence to the EAT-Lancet Sustainable Reference Diet in the Brazilian Population: Findings from the National Dietary Survey 2017–2018

Diets are simultaneously connected with population health and environment. The EAT-Lancet Commission proposed a sustainable reference diet to improve population health and respect the planetary boundaries. Recently, the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) has been developed to assess the adherence to this reference diet. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet through the PHDI in a nationwide population-based study carried out in Brazil. We used data from the National Dietary Survey conducted through the Household Budget Survey in 2017–2018, with 46,164 Brazilians aged over 10 years old. Food consumption was evaluated with a 24 h dietary recall. The average PHDI total score in the Brazilian population was 45.9 points (95% CI 45.6:46.1) on a total score that can range from 0 to 150 points. The adherence to EAT-Lancet diet was low among all Brazilian regions. Women, elderly, those overweighed/obese, with higher per capita income and living in the urban area had higher scores in the PHDI. In general, the Brazilian population presented low adherence to a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern and seems far from meeting the EAT-Lancet recommendations.

Dietary Habits of Older Adults in Serbia: Findings From the National Health Survey

Objectives: Adults aged 65 years and older comprise one fifth of the Serbian population. Many of them have multiple, often diet-related comorbidities. We aimed to investigate their dietary habits by comparing them with younger adults' and to determine the relation of the differing ones to demographic, socioeconomic and health factors. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of 2013 Serbian National Health Survey data on 14,082 adults. Binary logistic regression was used to determine dietary habits associated with older age (≥65 years) compared to younger age (18-64 years) and to assess their independent predictors in older adults. Results: Older adults more often reported everyday breakfast (OR = 2.085, 95%CI = 1.622-2.680) and brown/wholegrain bread consumption (OR = 1.681, 95% CI = 1.537-1.839), while using margarine (OR = 0.578, 95%CI = 0.397-0.839), discretionary salt (sometimes: OR = 0.648, 95%CI = 0.596-0.705, almost always: OR = 0.522, 95%CI = 0.445-0.614) and consuming fish (two or more times a week: OR = 0.465, 95%CI = 0.383-0.566) less frequently than younger adults. This was mainly positively related to urban environment, affluence, higher education and poor health. Conclusion: Using nationally representative data, we found that older adults reported healthier dietary habits compared to younger adults, which requires timely public health action.

Food and Nutrition Myths among Future Secondary School Teachers: A Problem of Trust in Inadequate Sources of Information

The Internet and social networks are full of nutrition information, offering people guidance to make healthy eating choices. These sources always present themselves as a gateway to reliable information on healthy eating; however, too often this is not the case. Far from being trustworthy, there are usually plenty of food myths. A food myth is a widespread false belief about food, nutrition, and eating facts that gives rise to certain behaviors, from fashionable trends to diets. Academic training is a valuable tool to combat food myths and the pseudoscience linked to them, but educators must participate in this battle. To test this idea, we analyzed the prevalence of nine highly popular food myths held by 201 secondary school Spanish teachers. The aim was to assess whether expertise in science areas prevents teachers from falling into these food misconceptions. Our study results showed that food myths are held regardless of specialty area. The power of the media in popularizing and spreading nutrition myths among educators may be the cause, even more potent than academic training. We conclude that since scientific knowledge is not enough to erase food myths, we need further actions if we aim to prevent the problems that food myths may cause.

Irregular daily energy intake and diet quality in Iranian adults

The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association of daily irregularity in energy intake and diet quality among apparently healthy adults in Iran. The research was conducted on 850 adult men and women (age range: 20-59 years) who attended health care centres in Tehran. Dietary intake was assessed by three, 24-h dietary recalls. Diet quality was assessed using the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet score and Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). An irregularity score of daily energy intake was calculated based on the deviation from the 3-d mean energy intake, with a higher score indicating more fluctuations in daily energy intake. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the association of irregularity score of daily energy intake with food group intakes and DASH diet score and HEI-2015, controlling for age, sex, BMI, physical activity, education level and occupation status. The range of irregularity score was 0·55-133·3 (22·4 (sd 19·0)). Higher irregularity score of daily energy intake was significantly associated with a lower consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy products and poultry, higher consumption of soft drinks, processed meat and nuts, and lower overall DASH diet score and HEI-2015. Overall, our findings showed that more day-to-day variations in energy intake may be correlated with a lower diet quality. More research is needed to confirm the associations observed in the present study and to clarify potential mechanisms explaining these associations.

Socioeconomic Status Impact on Diet Quality and Body Mass Index in Eight Latin American Countries: ELANS Study Results

Poor health and diet quality are associated with living within a low socioeconomic status (SES). This study aimed to investigate the impact of SES on diet quality and body mass index in Latin America. Data from the "Latin American Health and Nutrition Study (ELANS)", a multi-country, population-based study of 9218 participants, were used. Dietary intake was collected through two 24 h recalls from participants of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Diet quality was assessed using the dietary quality score (DQS), the dietary diversity score (DDS) and the nutrients adequacy ratio (NAR). Chi-squared and multivariate-variance analyses were used to estimate possible associations. We found that participants from the low SES consumed less fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber and fish and seafood and more legumes than those in the high SES. Also, the diet quality level, assessed by DQS, DDS and NAR mean, increased with SES. Women in the low SES also showed a larger prevalence of abdominal obesity and excess weight than those in the middle and high SES. Health policies and behavioral-change strategies should be addressed to reduce the impact of socioeconomic factors on diet quality and body weight, with gender as an additional level of vulnerability.

Co-Occurrence and Clustering of Sedentary Behaviors, Diet, Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, and Alcohol Intake among Adolescents and Adults: The Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS)

Poor diet, sedentary behaviors, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and alcohol intake seem to co-exist in complex ways that are not well understood. The aim of this study was to provide an understanding of the extent to which unhealthy behaviors cluster in eight Latin America countries. A secondary aim was to identify socio-demographic characteristics associated with these behaviors by country. Data from adolescents and adults from the “Latin American Health and Nutrition Study” was used and the prevalence of screen-time, occupational and transportation–sedentary time, socializing with friends, poor diet, SSB and alcohol intake, alone and in combination, were identified. The eight Latin America (LA) countries added to analyses were: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations between ≥2 behaviors clustering, socio-demographics and weight status. Among 9218 individuals, the most prevalent behaviors were transportation and occupation–sedentary time, SSB and alcohol intake. Younger, female, married/living with a partner, low and middle-income and obese individuals had higher chances for these clustering behaviors. These results provide a multi-country level of understanding of the extent to which behaviors co-occur in the LA population.

Diet Quality of Canadian Preschool Children: Associations with Socio-demographic Characteristics

Purpose: To examine associations between preschoolers' diet quality and parent and child socio-demographic variables.Methods: Cross-sectional analysis with 117 preschoolers. Parents reported socio-demographics and their children's diet using 3-day food records. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015. Linear regression models were used to analyze associations between socio-demographics and HEI scores.Results: A total of 86% of children had an HEI-2015 score in the "needs improvement" category (51-80 out of a maximum of 100). Children's overall HEI-2015 score was inversely associated with children's age (β = -0.19, 95% CI -0.37, -0.02). Parental education was positively associated with children's overall HEI score (β = 9.58, 95% CI 3.81, 15.35) and with scores for total fruit (β = 1.00, 95% CI 0.39, 1.76), vegetables (β = 1.11, 95% CI 0.03, 2.18), total protein (β = 1.06, 95% CI 0.28, 1.84), and seafood/plant protein (β = 1.67, 95% CI 0.43, 2.89) components. Children who identified as Caucasian (β = 4.29, 95% CI 2.46, 6.14), had a Caucasian parent (β = 3.01, 95% CI 0.78, 5.25), or parents who were born in Canada (β = 2.32, 95% CI 0.53, 4.11) had higher scores for dairy.Conclusion: Our results suggest that preschoolers' diet quality needs improvement and that children's diet quality varies by children's age and parental education level.

Anxiety, anhedonia and food consumption during the COVID-19 quarantine in Chile

The current epidemic of COVID-19 has gained attention and highlighted the need for a better understanding of the population's mental health. Diet has been identified as an environmental determinant of mental health. In this regard, it has been suggested that the consumption of palatable foods represents a strategy to mitigate negative emotions, such as anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the association between symptoms of anxiety and/or anhedonia to food consumption patterns during the period of COVID-19 quarantine in Chile. We conducted a cross-sectional study with non-randomized sampling via an online survey. A total of 1725 responses were collected. Each person self-answered the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale for anhedonia, the Food Intake Questionnaire, and questions regarding type and duration of lockdown, as well as body weight and food serving variation. Significant correlations were observed between fried food consumption and self-reported body weight. The subjects who consumed fried food three times a week, had higher weight (63.5%) (χ² = 48.5 and p < 0.001). Those who ate one and two or more pastries on a week had 1.41 and 1.49, respectively higher odds of reporting increased body weight. We found a relationship anxiety level and sugar-sweetened beverages level (χ² = 25.5; p 0.013), fast food intake (χ² = 63.4; p < 0.001), and pastry consumption (χ² = 37.7; p < 0.001). In conclusion, it is important to monitor the evolution of these findings since they could represent a risk of increased health problems in the future post-lockdown period.

Adherence to Food-Based Dietary Guidelines: A Systemic Review of High-Income and Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Research comparing the adherence to food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) across countries with different socio-economic status is lacking, which may be a concern for developing nutrition policies. The aim was to report on the adherence to FBDGs in high-income (HIC) and low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). A systematic review with searches in six databases was performed up to June 2020. English language articles were included if they investigated a population of healthy children and adults (7–65 years), using an observational or experimental design evaluating adherence to national FBDGs. Findings indicate that almost 40% of populations in both HIC and LMIC do not adhere to their national FBDGs. Fruit and vegetables (FV) were most adhered to and the prevalence of adhering FV guidelines was between 7% to 67.3%. HIC have higher consumption of discretionary foods, while results were mixed for LMIC. Grains and dairy were consumed below recommendations in both HIC and LMIC. Consumption of animal proteins (>30%), particularly red meat, exceeded the recommendations. Individuals from HIC and LMIC may be falling short of at least one dietary recommendation from their country’s guidelines. Future health policies, behavioral-change strategies, and dietary guidelines may consider these results in their development.