Diet has been shown one of the most important modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases and a whole-diet approach has proven useful for characterising dietary exposure.  The aim of this study was to identify the major dietary patterns among Brazilian adolescents and explore the association between these patterns with behavioral variables.

METHODS:  

A sample of 488 adolescents, of both sexes, from fifth grade of public schools of Piracicaba, Sao Paulo (Brazil) were interviewed about sociodemographic (income, gender and age), anthropometric, physical activity level (PAL), screen time and food intake. Consumption was assessed using a Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQFFQ) with 58 food items. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to derive dietary patterns. Average intake of calories for food item were entered in the PCA. We retained componentes with eigenvalue >1.0. and selected food items with load >0.3. The mean score was calculated  according to sex, screen time, physical activity level and nutritional status.

RESULTS:  

We identified three major dietary patterns that explained 59% of data variance (KMO=0.79). The first pattern labeled “outside home foods” was composed by salthy snacks, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas and others processed foods. The second was composed mainly for fruits and vegetables and labeled “fresh foods”. The third pattern labeled “high energy density foods” was composed for soda, jelly, sweet, margarine, chocolate. The first pattern was more practiced among girls (p=0,08 IC95% -0,02;0.34). The “fresh food” pattern was inversely associated with screen time (p=0.02) and positively associated with PAL (p<0,05 IC95% 0.1;0.46). The third pattern was inversely associated with overweight (p=0.03 IC95% 0.5;-0.01), probably because the study design.

CONCLUSIONS:  

Two of the three patterns identified can be consider unhealthy. The results suggest that adolescents who adopt healthier food pattern tend to be more active and spend less time with TV, computer and videogame