Generational differences in dietary pattern among Brazilian adults born between 1934 and 1975: a latent class analysis

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 21; no. 16; pp. 2929 - 2940
• Main Authors: Bezerra, Ilana Nogueira, Bahamonde, Nila Mara Smith Galvão, Marchioni, Dirce Maria Lobo, Chor, Dóra, de Oliveira Cardoso, Letícia, Aquino, Estela ML, da Conceição Chagas de Almeida, Maria, del Carmen Bisi Molina, Maria, de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca, Maria, de Matos, Sheila Maria Alvim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-11-2018
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Age differences; Age Factors; Aged; Baby boomers; Beverages; Birth; Brazil; Childbirth & labor; Chronic illnesses; Confectionery; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographics; Diabetes; Diet - trends; Dietary restrictions; Eating behavior; Female; Food; Food consumption; Generation X; Generational differences; Health promotion; Heart attacks; Humans; Intakes; Latent Class Analysis; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition research; Obesity; Public health; Research Paper; Soft drinks; Brazil; Australia; United States > US; Latent class analysis; Dietary patterns; Generational differences
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S136898001800191X

To identify generational differences in the dietary patterns of Brazilian adults born between 1934 and 1975.
A cross-sectional study from the baseline of the multicentre Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort. Year of birth was categorized into three birth generations: Traditionalists (born between 1934 and 1945); Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1975). Food consumption was investigated using an FFQ. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify data-driven dietary patterns.
Brazil.
Individuals (n 15 069) aged 35-74 years.
A three-class model was generated from the LCA for each birth generation. Generation X presented higher energy intakes (kJ/kcal) from soft drinks (377·4/90·2) and sweets (1262·3/301·7) and lower energy intakes from fruit (1502·5/359·1) and vegetables (311·3/74·4) than Baby Boomers (283·7/67·8, 1047·7/250·4, 1756·0/419·7 and 365·3/87·3, respectively) and Traditionalists (186·2/44·5, 518·8/124·0, 1947·7/465·5 and 404·6/96·7, respectively). For Baby Boomers and Generation X, we found food patterns with similar structures: mixed pattern (22·7 and 29·7 %, respectively), prudent pattern (43·5 and 34·9 %, respectively) and processed pattern (33·8 and 35·4 %, respectively). Among Traditionalists, we could also identify mixed (30·9 %) and prudent (21·8 %) patterns, and a third pattern, named restricted dietary pattern (47·3 %).
The younger generation presented higher frequencies of consuming a pattern characterized by a low nutritional diet, compared with other generations, indicating that they may age with a greater burden of chronic diseases. It is important to develop public health interventions promoting healthy foods, focusing on the youngest generations.