Dietary patterns of elderly brazilians and associated determinants: A population-based study in the south of brazil

Abstract

This cross-sectional study sought to as-sess the effect of demographic and socioeconomic factors, chronic diseases, and health counseling on dietary patterns of the elderly. Food consumption was assessed by means of a reduced eating fre-quency questionnaire distributed to 1,426 elderly residents in Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and dietary patterns were obtained using main component analysis. Two dietary patterns were identified: healthy diet (wholegrain food, fruits, vegetables, and milk) and Western diet (sweet snacks, fried foods, frozen foods, proces-sed meats, and fast food). Females, non-smokers, and alcohol-free individuals tended more toward the healthy diet, whereas males, smokers, alcohol-dependent, and overweight individuals tended more toward the Western diet. Higher income and schooling were associated with a higher tendency toward both diets, and chronic diseases were not associated with either diet. Receiving counseling for adopting healthy habits was associated with a higher tendency toward a healthy diet and a lower tendency toward the Western diet. There is a need to increase effective guidance on healthy habits by health services to promote healthier eating practi-ces, with special attention to elderly males, smoke-rs, alcohol-dependent and overweight individuals.