Association between Eating Patterns and Excess Body Weight in Adolescents

• Published in: Childhood obesity Vol. 17; no. 6; pp. 400 - 407
• Main Authors: Barros, Natassia Ellen Rodrigues Paiva, Moreno, Luis Alberto, Arruda, Soraia Pinheiro Machado, de Assis, Renata Carmo, Celedonio, Roberta Freitas, Silva, Francisco Ranilson Alves, Pinto, Francisco José Maia, Maia, Carla Soraya Costa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2021
• Subjects: adolescent; overweight; obesity; dietary patterns
• ISSN: 2153-2168; 2153-2176
• DOI: 10.1089/chi.2020.0265

Excess body weight is a risk factor for the development of diseases. Adolescence is a nutritionally vulnerable age group that suffers due to influences on food intake. We aimed to identify the main dietary patterns of adolescents to investigate their association with excess body weight. This was a cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height) were collected to calculate the BMI. Nutritional statuses were classified according to World Health Organization classification. Food consumption data were obtained through a 24-hour recall and food patterns were identified through factor analyses of the main components. The patterns were categorized into quintiles and dichotomized into greater (fourth and fifth quintile) and lower (first to third quintile) adherences. Binomial regression was used to assess the association between food patterns and excess body weight. The study was conducted in a capital city in Northeast Brazil from adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years in 826 public schools. Three main food patterns were identified in women and men: (white bread, coffee, fat, and eggs), (white rice, beans, meat, pasta, with negative factor load for regional foods), and (sweets, fruits, biscuits and cakes, vegetables, and dairy products). Adolescents with a greater adherence to the pattern [odds ratio (OR) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.50-0.93] and the pattern (OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.53-0.99) had a lower chance of being excess body weight than those with lower adherence. Three main eating patterns were identified among adolescents, and greater adherence to the and patterns implied a lower chance of excess body weight.