Social inequalities and dietary patterns: an analysis with adults in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Brazil.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns (DP) and their association with socioeconomic, demographic, lifestyle, and overweight characteristics in adults from the Metropolitan Region of Recife (MRR) in 2015/16 and 2019. A cross-sectional study was conducted with individuals of both sexes, aged 20 to 59 years. DPs were identified using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Binary logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Three DPs were identified: Dual, Ultra-processed (UP), and Traditional. The Dual DP explained the highest variance in 2015/16 (15.4%), while in 2019, it was the UP DP (15.1%). In 2015/16, the Dual DP was related to the age groups of 20-29 years and 30-40 years, with no associations in 2019. The Traditional DP was associated with physical activity in 2015/16 and, in 2019, with living with ≥5 people in the household, lower education, and overweight. The dietary patterns in 2019 showed a stronger association with social determinants, indicating a greater influence of these factors on eating habits.