Objective:
identify dietary patterns and prospectively evaluated their influence on the BMI z-score of adolescents.
Design:
a longitudinal study, using data from the Longitudinal Study on Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, Eating Habits and Adolescent Health - LONCAAFS.
Setting:
to obtain data on food consumption, a 24-hour recall survey was conducted; a second 24-hour recall was applied to 30% of the sample in all waves Dietary patterns were identified by exploratory factor analysis using principal components. BMI z-score was determined according to the recommendation of the World Health Organization, based on the body mass index (BMI) for age and sex. Socioeconomic data, sedentary behavior, and physical activity level were obtained. Associations between BMI z-score and dietary patterns and between BMI z-score and variables of interest were determined using Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE).
Participants:
1431 adolescents were assessed in 2014, 1,178 in 2015, 959 in 2016, and 773 in 2017, belonging to the public schools of João Pessoa, Northeast Brazil.
Results:
Were identified three dietary patterns throughout the study: “traditional,” “snacks,” and “western”. The “western” dietary pattern was positively associated with BMI Z-score (β=0.025; 95% CI: 0.002–0.048), regardless of sex and physical activity level, prospectively.
Conclusion:
A dietary pattern composed of foods with high energy density, high fat and sugars, and low fiber, influence the BMI Z-score of adolescents over time.