Cadernos de Saúde Pública (May 2013)

Dietary patterns during pregnancy and the association with sociodemographic characteristics among women attending general practices in southern Brazil: the ECCAGe Study

  • Juliana Feliciati Hoffmann,
  • Maria Angélica Antunes Nunes,
  • Maria Inês Schmidt,
  • Maria Teresa Anselmo Olinto,
  • Cristiane Melere,
  • Silvia Giselle Ibarra Ozcariz,
  • Caroline Buss,
  • Michele Drhemer,
  • Patrícia Manzolli,
  • Rafael Marques Soares,
  • André Poyastro Pinheiro,
  • Suzi Camey

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2013000500014
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 5
pp. 970 – 980

Abstract

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The assessment of the relationship between food intake and sociodemographic factors is crucial for developing effective public health policies. The present study aimed to examine dietary patterns in pregnant women and the association between these patterns and sociodemographic characteristics. Pregnant women attending general practices in southern Brazil (n = 712) answered a questionnaire and a food-frequency questionnaire with 88 items. Three dietary patterns were identified using cluster analysis. The association between the dietary patterns and sociodemographic variables was analyzed using the chi-square test and adjusted standardized residuals (p < 0,05). The restricted pattern was associated with lower maternal age, not living with a partner and being a non-working student. The varied pattern was associated with older maternal age, living with a partner, being employed and higher levels of education and income. The common-Brazilian dietary pattern included traditional Brazilian food items and was associated with lower levels of education and income, being unemployed and being a non-student.

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