Dietary patterns are associated with weight gain in newlyweds: findings from a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to characterize the dietary patterns of newlyweds married within one year and to examine the factors associated with weight changes. Design: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2009. Setting: Baoshan District, Shanghai, China. Subjects: A total of 342 pairs of newlyweds were recruited at their first visit. Weight and height were measured and food intake was measured based on an FFQ with forty-nine items. Dietary patterns were identified through factor analysis, and the factors associated with weight changes were determined by multiple regression models. Results: Average weight gain of the participants during marital transition was 1?9 kg (2?2 kg for men and 1?6 kg for women). Four major dietary patterns were identified: vegetable pattern, sweets and fats pattern, legume pattern and poultry, beef and mutton pattern. In multivariate analyses, the highest quintile of factor 2 (sweets and fats pattern) was significantly associated with weight gain after marriage in a comparison with the lowest quintile (b 5 2?94; 95 % CI 0?75, 5?15; P 5 0?01) in men. The highest quintile of factor 4 (poultry, beef and mutton pattern) was inversely associated with weight gain after marriage in a comparison with the lowest quintile (b 5 21?21; 95 % CI 22?32, 20?11; P 5 0?03). Conclusions: Our results suggest that a pattern rich in sugar, oil and condiments may lead to greater marital weight gain in men; another pattern rich in poultry, beef and mutton may lead to less marital weight gain in both men and women.

Longitudinal analysis of dietary patterns in Chinese adults from 1991 to 2009

“…Although this is the first study to assess longitudinal trends in dietary patterns over time in China, previous studies have analysed dietary patterns at one time point. Although our findings differ from those of studies carried out in specific urban areas, such as Shanghai ( 25 – 28 ) , they are most similar to findings of surveys of nationally representative samples, such as the China National Nutrition and Health Survey. Previously identified patterns are the ‘Yellow Earth’ or ‘traditional northern’ pattern high in wheat products, maize or sorghum and tubers; the ‘green water’ or ‘traditional southern’ pattern high in rice, vegetables, seafood, pork and poultry; and the ‘Western’ pattern high in beef, fruits, eggs, poultry, seafood, tofu, milk, cakes, fruit juice, beverages and nuts ( 11 , 12 ) .…”