DIETARY PATTERNS OF BRAZILIAN ADOLESCENTS ASSOCIATE WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS

Background and objectives: Dietary and physical activity patterns in Brazil have foment an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, which are beginning in the early stages of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns of Brazilian adolescents and to determine the associated factors. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study with 446 adolescents aged 10-19 years, enrolled in a public school in Goiania, Goias. Brazil. Dietary intake was assessed by a usual food recall. Socioeconomic, anthropometric and lifestyle data were collected through classical protocols. Principal component factor analysis with Varimax rotation was used to identify dietary patterns. Factor scores were calculated and then used in multiple linear regression to evaluate socioeconomic, anthropometric and lifestyle factors associated with the patterns. Results: Four dietary patterns were identified and together explained 38.8% of the food consumption total variance. These patterns were denominated: 1) traditional Brazilian meal (characterized by cereals and roots, legumes, meats, vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages), 2) traditional snack (which included farinaceous snacks, butter and margarine, dairy and sweets, and was inversely associated with processed meat consumption), 3) processed snacks (processed meat, yellow cheese and farinaceous snacks), and 4) junk food (composed by candies, fatty snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and pastas, and inversely associated with intake of fruits). The pattern "traditional Brazilian meal" was inversely associated with BMI and female sex. The pattern "traditional snack" was inversely associated with BMI and positively associated with greater time sitting at the weekend. The pattern "junk food" was associated positively with the greater daily time in front of television. Only this latter pattern did not present an inverse association with commuting to school by car. Conclusions: Adolescents' dietary patterns were associated with anthropometric and lifestyle variables, so that a diet based on traditional Brazilian foods is recommended because it seems to favor lower BMI values.