Does the Dietary Pattern of Shanghai Residents  Change across Seasons and Area of Residence:  Assessing Dietary Quality Using the Chinese Diet  Balance Index (DBI)

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 9; no. 3; p. 251
• Main Authors: Zang, Jiajie, Yu, Huiting, Zhu, Zhenni, Lu, Ye, Liu, Changhe, Yao, Chunxia, Bai, Pinqing, Guo, Changyi, Jia, Xiaodong, Zou, Shurong, Wu, Fan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08.03.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Body Mass Index; China; Cohort Studies; Diet; Diet Balance Index; Drinking behavior; Female; Females; Food; Food groups; Food intake; Food Quality; Food supply; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Males; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition Policy; predictors; Quality assessment; season; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Shanghai Diet and Health Survey; Smoking; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistical analysis; Statistical significance; Summer; Surveys and Questionnaires; Winter; Young Adult; predictors; Shanghai Diet and Health Survey; Diet Balance Index; season
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu9030251

Few studies have applied the Chinese Diet Balance Index (DBI) in evaluating dietary quality across seasons. The Shanghai Diet and Health Survey (SDHS) included 1680 participants from all districts of Shanghai from 2012 to 2013. Dietary data were obtained using three-day 24-h recall in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Higher bound score (HBS), lower bound score (LBS) and diet quality distance (DQD) were calculated according to compliance with the dietary guidelines and based on the recommendations for consumption within the main food groups. HBS, LBS, and DQD represent over-intake, under-intake, and overall imbalance of the diet, respectively. 836 males and 844 females were included. The HBS indicated that 10.08%, 11.84%, 10.31%, and 12.73% people have moderate or high levels of over-intake of food in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively; and 74.04%, 37.61%, 53.09%, and 42.72% people have moderate or high levels of deficit food intake for each of the four seasons. The mean HBS and LBS among the four seasons were statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The mean (SD) DQD was 43.27 (10.21), 35.67 (9.71), 39.19 (9.36), and 36.84 (9.45) in each season. A multivariable model showed statistically significant differences in DQD according to age, gender, occupational status, education, smoking, drinking status, season, and residency (p < 0.001). An unbalanced diet is common among people living in Shanghai. Seasonality and area of residence were found to be two significant predictors. Strengthening the accessibility and the supply of food across seasons and regions should be considered.