Abstract
BackgroundVery limited nutritional epidemiological studies conducted to explore the unique dietary exposure in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). This study aims to identify and characterize major dietary patterns in the target-population from general adult NL residents and assess the associations with selected demographic factors.MethodsA total of 192 participants, aged 35–70 years, completed and returned a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and participated in a telephone interview to collect demographic information. Dietary patterns were identified by common factor analysis. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess determinants of the different food consumption patterns. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated for food scores of each pattern, total energy, and energy-adjusted nutrient intakes.ResultsFactor analyses identified four dietary patterns, which were labeled as “Meat”, “Vegetable/fruit”, “Fish”, and “Grain” patterns. In combination, the four dietary patterns explained 63% of the variance in dietary habits of the study population. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated an increasing trend of factor scores for Meat and Grain pattern with age. Male participants were found to be more likely to choose the Meat and Fish patterns. Current smokers and those married/living together tend to choose the Grain pattern. Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed positive correlations between fat and cholesterol and the Meat pattern, fiber and the Vegetable/fruits pattern, protein and the Fish pattern, and carbohydrates and the Grain pattern.ConclusionThis study derived four dietary patterns and obtained their significant associations with specific demographic characteristics in this population. It identified one dietary consumption pattern (Fish) not yet seen in other studied populations. These findings will update the current dietary-health information published in this province, and contribute to further research into the association between dietary practices and health.
Highlights
Very limited nutritional epidemiological studies conducted to explore the unique dietary exposure in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL)
The objectives of this study are to proceed with the step of a larger investigation of this population by using this tool to make a preliminary evaluation of the dietary patterns in one subgroup of the NL population, the adult, and to assess whether these patterns vary according to demographic characteristics
Demographic information Out of a total of 205 questionnaires received by June 2012, we excluded participants who had left over 20 continuous items blank on the food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (n = 5) and those who reported energy intakes outside the range of 500–5000 kcal (n = 8)
Summary
Very limited nutritional epidemiological studies conducted to explore the unique dietary exposure in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). This study aims to identify and characterize major dietary patterns in the target-population from general adult NL residents and assess the associations with selected demographic factors. Traditional approaches to nutritional epidemiology have focused on the associations of diseases with one or a small number of specific nutrients or foods [1,2]. A healthier pattern referred to as “Healthy or Prudent”, is characterized by higher intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, poultry, and fish [11]. These two major dietary patterns are associated with health outcomes, but have been shown to be related to age, gender, living area, educational attainment, and other baseline demographic characteristics. A study conducted in the US has suggested that, urbanites tend to choose the healthier dietary pattern as compared to rural residents and women have a healthier dietary pattern than men [14]
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