The present paper examines the influence of age and gender on food patterns of Latino children.

Data are from baseline of a 5-year, quasi-experimental obesity prevention study: Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (NSFS; Healthy Children, Healthy Families). In 2012, the researchers interviewed Latino parents, using a thirty-item questionnaire to ask about their children’s food consumption and feeding practices. Statistical tests included t tests and ANCOVA.

Rural communities in California’s Central Valley, USA.

Two hundred and seventeen parents (87–89 % born in Mexico) and their children (aged 2–8 years).

Fifty-one per cent of the children were overweight or obese (≥85th percentile of BMI for age and gender). Mean BMI Z-scores were not significantly different in boys (1·10 (sd 1·07)) and girls (0·92 (sd 1·04); P=0·12). In bivariate analysis, children aged 2–4 years consumed fast and convenience foods less often (P=0·04) and WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children)-allowable foods more often than children aged 5–8 years (P=0·01). In ANCOVA, neither age nor gender was significantly related to food patterns. Mother’s acculturation level was positively related to children’s consumption of fast and convenience foods (P=0·0002) and negatively related to consumption of WIC foods (P=0·01). Providing role modelling and structure in scheduling meals and snacks had a positive effect on the vegetable pattern (P=0·0007), whereas meal skipping was associated with more frequent fast and convenience food consumption (P=0·04).

Acculturation and child feeding practices jointly influence food patterns in Latino immigrant children and indicate a need for interventions that maintain diet quality as children transition to school.

To assess prevailing food patterns among Balearic Islands’ adolescents, and socio-economic and lifestyle determinants.

Cross-sectional nutritional survey carried out (2007–2008) in the Balearic Islands, a Mediterranean region. Dietary assessment was based on a 145-item semi-quantitative FFQ and two non-consecutive 24 h recalls. Anthropometric measurements and questions related to socio-economic, lifestyle, physical activity and body image were assessed.

Data obtained from a representative sample of all inhabitants living in the Balearic Islands aged 12–17 years.

A random sample (n 1231) of the adolescent population (12–17 years old) was interviewed.

Factor analysis identified two major dietary food patterns: ‘Western’ and ‘Mediterranean’. The ‘Western’ dietary pattern was higher among boys than girls, associated with spending ≥4 h/d on media screen time, but less prevalent among those adolescents who desired a thinner body and those girls who desired to remain the same weight. The ‘Mediterranean’ dietary pattern was mainly followed by girls, and also boys who spent < 2 h/d on media screen time and girls with high parental socio-economic status.

The present study shows the existence of two major dietary patterns among Balearic Islands’ adolescents: ‘Western’ and ‘Mediterranean’, but girls are more ‘Mediterranean’ than boys. This evidence supports that the food pattern of Balearic Islands’ adolescents is in a transitional state characterised by the loss of the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern towards a Western dietary pattern. Low parental socio-economic status, much leisure-time on sedentary behaviours such as media screen time and body image are factors associated with the ‘Western’ dietary pattern.

To describe patterns of food consumption associated with overweight/ obesity (OW/OB) and their links to socio-economic status (SES) and urbanization.

A nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Secondary schools in cities, towns and villages in Botswana, Africa.

A total of 746 adolescent schoolchildren.

OW/OB is associated with greater SES, city residence and a snack-food diet pattern. Students belonging to higher SES compared with those from a lower SES background reported significantly (P < 0·01) more daily servings of snack foods (1·55 v. 0·76) and fewer servings of traditional diet foods (0·99 v. 1·68) and also reported that they ate meals outside the home more often (90 % v. 72 %). Students in cities ate significantly (P < 0·01) more servings of snacks (1·69 v. 1·05 v. 0·51) and fewer servings of traditional foods (0·67 v. 1·52 v. 1·61) compared with those in urban and rural villages. The odds of OW/OB were increased 1·16-fold with a snack-food diet, a result that was diminished when controlled for SES.

These data suggest that nutritional transition occurs at different rates across urbanization and SES levels in Botswana. In cities, increasing the availability of fruit while reducing access to or portion sizes of snack items is important. Emphasis on continued intake of traditional foods may also be helpful as rural areas undergo economic and infrastructural development.

To explore socio-economic differences in use of staff canteens and whether frequent use of staff canteens is associated with different food patterns and obesity.

Cross-sectional study using three self-administered questionnaires, two of them including food frequency questions. Factor analysis was used to explore food patterns.

Oslo, Norway, 2000–2001.

In total 8943 adult, working Oslo citizens.

Frequent (≥3 times/week) use of staff canteens was most likely among men, younger workers and those in the highest education and income groups. However, after adjustment for demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors, those with highest education were least likely to use staff canteens frequently. Frequent eating in staff canteens was positively associated with a Western food pattern (based on fat-rich food, fast food and red meat) and inversely associated with a traditional food pattern (based on boiled potatoes and gravy, and less rice, pasta and oil) in multivariate analyses. Unadjusted, frequent eating in staff canteens was also inversely associated with a prudent food pattern (based on fruit, vegetables, fish, legumes and oil). The likelihood of being obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) increased significantly with frequent eating in staff canteens, also when adjusted for demographic and socio-economic variables. Adjustment for the food patterns attenuated this relationship, but it was still significant.

Frequent eating in staff canteens was negatively related to socio-economic position and positively associated with unhealthy dietary habits. This partly explained higher odds for obesity among frequent users of staff canteens. Future research should assess the availability and food options of staff canteens.

To study the association between adherence to several a priori-defined healthy food patterns and the risk of hypertension.

Prospective, multipurpose, dynamic cohort study (recruitment permanently open). We followed up 10 800 men and women (all of them university graduates), who were initially free of hypertension, for a variable period (range 2–6 years, median 4·6 years). During follow-up, 640 participants reported a new medical diagnosis of hypertension. Baseline diet was assessed using a validated 136-item FFQ. Validated information about non-dietary potential confounders was also gathered. We calculated adherence to fifteen different hypothesis-oriented food patterns and assessed the association between each of them and incident hypertension using multivariable Cox models.

The SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra – University of Navarra Follow-up) Project, Spain.

Participants recruited to the SUN cohort before October 2005 were eligible for inclusion; after excluding those with self-reported hypertension or CVD at baseline, or with extreme total energy intake, data of 10 800 were analysed.

Higher adherence to the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet (range of the score: 0 to 5) was significantly associated with a lower risk for developing hypertension (P for trend = 0·02). The other food patterns showed no significant association with incident hypertension.

Our results support a long-term protection of the DASH diet against the incidence of hypertension, but we found no evidence of a similar inverse association with hypertension for any other a priori-defined healthy food pattern.

To assess current Mediterranean dietary patterns (MDP) in the western and eastern Mediterranean, i.e. in Balearic islanders (BI) and Greek islanders (GI).

Dietary patterns were assessed using FFQ on a representative sample (n 1200) of the BI and GI (n 1324) adult population. A Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) was calculated according to the consumption of nine MDP components: (i) with a beneficial effect on health, i.e. vegetables, fruits and nuts, cereals, legumes, fish and shellfish, MUFA:SFA ratio, and moderate alcohol consumption; and (ii) with a detrimental effect on health, i.e. meat and meat products, and milk and dairy products. Persons with consumption of beneficial components below the median (GI plus BI) received a value of 0 and those with consumption above the median a value of 1. Persons with below-median consumption of detrimental components received a value of 1 and above-median consumption a value of 0. For alcohol, a value of 1 was given to consumptions of 10–50 g/d (men) and 5–25 g/d (women). The range of the MDS was 0–9, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the MDP.

GI showed higher adherence (mean MDS 5·12 (sd 1·42)) to the MDP than BI (mean MDS 3·32 (sd 1·23)). BI diet was characterized by a high intake of legumes, nuts, seed oils, sugar and confectionery, and non-alcoholic beverages compared with GI, whereas GI diet was richer in fruit, vegetables, potatoes, olive oil, animal products and alcoholic beverages.

The GI diet seems closer to the traditional MDP than the BI diet.

To identify dietary transition stages based on dietary patterns of adult Haitians having lived in Montreal for various lengths of time, and to assess associated dietary quality.

One hundred and eighty-one Haitians aged 25–60 years were recruited by the modified random digit dialling method.

Socio-economic, diet and lifestyle variables were documented by questionnaire. Three non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted over a 3-month period. Dietary patterns were studied using cluster analysis, and their association with proportion of lifetime in Canada and with socio-economic status (SES) was examined. Diet quality criteria were micronutrient adequacy and healthfulness based on dietary recommendations of the World Health Organization.

Four dietary phenotypes were identified which could roughly represent stages of dietary transition or acculturation (Traditional, Pre-Western, Western and Modern). Subjects in the ‘Traditional’ cluster were older and had lived for a significantly lower proportion of their lifetime in Canada; they also tended to be of lower SES. Diet quality was significantly higher in the ‘Traditional’ than the ‘Western’ type, particularly with respect to healthfulness. A significantly lower proportion of subjects complying with limited intake of total fat ( < 30%) and cholesterol ( < 45%) was observed in the ‘Western’ compared with other diet phenotypes. Less than 15% of all subjects consumed enough dietary fibre, irrespective of diet type.

Dietary transition stages could be identified on the basis of food patterns of Haitians according to the proportion of their lifetime in Canada. Encouraging the youth to retain the traditional food culture in its positive aspects would appear relevant.

To explore the utility of cluster analysis in defining complex dietary exposures, separately with two types of variables.

A modified diet history method, combining a 7-day menu book and a 168-item questionnaire, assessed dietary habits. A standardized questionnaire collected information on sociodemographics, lifestyle and health history. Anthropometric information was obtained through direct measurements. The dietary information was collapsed into 43 generic food groups, and converted into variables indicating the per cent contribution of specific food groups to total energy intake. Food patterns were identified by the QUICK CLUSTER procedure in SPSS, in two separate analytical steps using unstandardized and standardized (Z-scores) clustering variables.

The Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) Study, a prospective study in the third largest city of Sweden, with baseline examinations from March 1991 to October 1996.

A random sample of 2206 men and 3151 women from the MDC cohort (n=28098).

Both variable types produced conceptually well separated clusters, confirmed with discriminant analysis. ‘Healthy’ and ‘less healthy’ food patterns were also identified with both types of variables. However, nutrient intake differences across clusters were greater, and the distribution of the number of individuals more even, with the unstandardized variables. Logistic regression indicated higher risks of past food habit change, underreporting of energy and higher body mass index (BMI) for individuals falling into ‘healthy’ food pattern clusters.

The utility in discriminating dietary exposures appears greater for unstandardized food group variables. Future studies on diet and cancer need to recognize the confounding factors associated with ‘healthy’ food patterns.

To assess the relative ability of principal components analysis (PCA)-derived dietary patterns to correctly identify cases and controls compared with other methods of characterising food intake.

Participants in this study were 232 endometrial cancer cases and 639 controls from the Western New York Diet Study, 1986–1991, frequency-matched to cases on age and county of residence.

Usual intake in the year preceding interview of 190 foods and beverages was collected during a personal interview using a detailed food-frequency questionnaire. Principal components analysis identified two major dietary patterns which we labelled ‘healthy’ and ‘high fat’. Classification on disease status was assessed with separate discriminant analyses (DAs) for four different characterisation schemes: stepwise DA of 168 food items to identify the subset of foods that best discriminated between cases and controls; foods associated with each PCA-derived dietary pattern; fruits and vegetables (47 items); and stepwise DA of USDA-defined food groups (fresh fruit, canned/frozen fruit, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, red meat, poultry, fish and seafood, processed meats, snacks and sweets, grain products, dairy, and fats).

In general, classification of disease status was somewhat better among cases (54.7% to 67.7%) than controls (54.0% to 63.1%). Correct classification was highest for fruits and vegetables (67.7% and 62.9%, respectively) but comparable to that of the other schemes (49.5% to 66.8%).

Our results suggest that the use of principal components analysis to characterise dietary behaviour may not provide substantial advantages over more commonly used, less sophisticated methods of characterising diet.

Random population cross-sectional nutritional survey.

A random sample of 3534 people aged 2 to 24 years were interviewed by a team of 43 dietitians. The protocol included 24-hour recalls (a second 24-hour recall in 30% of the sample), a food-frequency questionnaire and other questions including lifestyles, knowledge and food preferences.

Participation rate in the survey was 68%. Of the boys, 91.2% and 92.2% of the girls in the sample usually had breakfast. Males aged 18 years and above and 14–17-year-old girls showed the lowest consumption rates. Some 4.1% of the sample did not have any food at all before lunch. Main sources of energy with breakfast were milk and dairy products (34%) and buns, cookies, croissants, etc. (24.6%). Some 44.7% of the sample was classified in the poor-quality breakfast group. Subjects from a low socio-economic background and low educated parents had lower Quality Breakfast Score.

The proportion of children having breakfast before attending school has increased in Spain in recent decades. However, intake of breakfast is not adequate in a large proportion of this population and a number of children and young people still do not eat anything before lunch. School-based nutrition education involving families, teachers and health professionals, supported by community actions, can contribute to improve this situation.

To describe vitamin intakes in Spanish food patterns, identify groups at risk for inadequacy and determine conditioning factors that may influence this situation.

Pooled-analysis of eight cross-sectional regional nutrition surveys.

Ten thousand two hundred and eight free-living subjects (4728 men, 5480 women) aged 25–60 years. Respondents of population nutritional surveys carried out in eight Spanish regions (Alicante, Andalucía, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Catalunya, Galicia, Madrid and Basque Country) from 1990 to 1998. The samples were pooled together and weighted to build a national random sample.

Dietary assessment by means of repeated 24-hour recall using photograph models to estimate portion size. Adjusted data for intra-individual variation were used to estimate the prevalence of inadequate intake. A Diet Quality Score (DQS) was computed considering the risk for inadequate intake for folate, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E. DQS scores vary between 0 (good) and 4 (very poor). Influence of lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity) was considered as well.

Inadequate intakes (<⅔ Recommended Dietary Intake) were estimated in more than 10% of the sample for riboflavin (in men), folate (in women), vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E. More than 35% of the sample had diets classified as poor quality or very poor quality. Factors identified to have an influence on a poor-quality diet were old age, low education level and low socio-economical level. A sedentary lifestyle, smoking, usual consumption of alcohol and being overweight were conditioning factors for a poor-quality diet as well.

Results from The eVe Study suggest that a high proportion of the Spanish population has inadequate intakes for at least one nutrient and nearly 50% should adjust their usual food pattern towards a more nutrient-dense, healthier diet.