Relationship between dietary consumption of vitamins and minerals, body mass index, and waist circumference: a population-based study of adults in southern Brazil

Abstract

The study's objective was to investigate the association between inadequate dietary consumption of micronutrients and indicators of general and abdominal obesity. Cross-sectional analysis of the second wave of the EpiFloripa Adults longitudinal study, including 1,222 individuals, aged 22-63 years and residing in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil. Food consumption data was obtained from two 24-hour food recalls, and habitual consumption and prevalence rates of inadequate consumption of calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, D, and E were estimated according to the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council guidelines. General obesity was defined based on the body mass index (BMI) values and abdominal obesity was based on waist circumference (WC) values. For most of the micronutrients investigated (calcium and vitamins A, C, D, and E), consumption levels were below the recommendations, with high prevalence of inadequate consumption in the sample as a whole. Only inadequate vitamin C intake was higher among obese individuals (general or abdominal). In addition, there was an inverse association between lower consumption of calcium and iron and higher BMI and WC, and between lower consumption of vitamins A and D and higher WC levels (β = -0.92cm; 95%CI: -1.76; -0.08 and β = -0.69 cm; 95%CI: -1.32; -0.06, respectively), especially in young adults. The study showed an inverse association between inadequate dietary consumption of micronutrients and general and abdominal obesity in a sample of adults in Southern Brazil.