Determinantes dos padrões alimentares de mulheres adultas residentes em São Leopoldo, R.S.

Abstract

Objective: To study the determinants of dietary patterns of women from southern Brazil.Design: Population based cross-sectional study.Subjects: Women (n=1026) between 20 and 60 years-old, living in a urban area of Sao Leopoldo, R.S. The sampling was obtained through multiple stages during 2003.

Results: The most prevalent dietary patterns were the Risk Pattern Low Cost (RLC), the Risk Pattern High Cost (RHC) and the Healthy Dietary Pattern High Cost (HHC). Following multivariate analysis, the Healthy Dietary Pattern Low Cost (HLC) was positively associated to age, but inversely associated with women of low education, single and smoker. The Healthy Dietary Pattern Medium Cost (HMC) was positively associated with age, education and social class, being less common on non-white women. HHC was more common among women from the classes A and B, unemployed (no income) and who did not exercise regularly. The Risk Dietary Pattern Low Cost was more common among women of less education (≤ 4 vs ≥ 14 years) w