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Evaluation of dietary pattern stability and physical activity in three consecutive generations of women

International Journal of Public Health volume 61, pages 29–38 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to characterize major dietary patterns (DPs) in three consecutive generations and to delineate DP changes.

Methods

Usual dietary intakes of 547 women from three generations were assessed using a validated dish-based Food Frequency Questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to identify DPs, participants’ scores for each DP were calculated and changes in DP scores and mean consumption of food groups were evaluated. Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), participants were ranked according to their scores receiving for each DP.

Results

Three major DPs, defined as Traditional (TDP), Healthy (HDP), and Western (WDP) and the comparison of DP adherence between generations showed that TDP remained stable over time. WDP and HDP scores increased from Generation1 to the recent. Based on LCA, the “multifarious class” was similar in three generations. The “traditional class”, “transitional class”, and “health conscious class” were defined within the oldest, middle-aged, and younger generation, respectively.

Conclusions

The younger women tended to have higher score for both WDP and HDP. This paradox may be as a result of health conscious behaviors parallel the unfavorable inevitable lifestyle changes.

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Acknowledgments

Our grateful thanks go to all of the participants; Ranginkamane Sepid Institute for their kind assistance; and the State Welfare Organization for their cooperation.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Food Security Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Marzie Asgari Noori, Reza Ghiasvand, Zahra Maghsoudi & Ahmad Esmaillzadeh

  2. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Marzie Asgari Noori, Reza Ghiasvand, Zahra Maghsoudi & Ahmad Esmaillzadeh

  3. Faculty of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Awat Feizi

  4. Integrative Functional Gastroenterology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Peyman Adibi & Ammar Hassanzadeh Keshteli

  5. Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Ammar Hassanzadeh Keshteli

Authors
  1. Marzie Asgari Noori
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  2. Reza Ghiasvand
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  3. Zahra Maghsoudi
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  4. Awat Feizi
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  5. Ahmad Esmaillzadeh
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  6. Peyman Adibi
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  7. Ammar Hassanzadeh Keshteli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reza Ghiasvand.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Noori, M.A., Ghiasvand, R., Maghsoudi, Z. et al. Evaluation of dietary pattern stability and physical activity in three consecutive generations of women. Int J Public Health 61, 29–38 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0746-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0746-z

Keywords

  • Dietary patterns
  • Stability
  • Nutrition transition
  • Generation