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Dietary patterns and adiposity over time – analysis of the ELSA-Brasil

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Abstract

Purpose

Combining different statistical methods to identify dietary patterns (DP) may provide new insights on how diet is associated with adiposity. This study investigated the association of DP derived from three data-driven methods and adiposity indicators over time.

Methods

This study used data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). DP were identified at baseline applying three statistical methods: Factor Analysis (FA), Treelet Transform (TT), and Reduced Rank Regression (RRR). The association between DP and adiposity indicators (weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage and fat mass index) over the period of 8.2 years of follow-up was assessed by linear mixed-models.

Results

Convenience DP, marked by unhealthy food groups, was associated with higher adiposity over the follow-up period, regardless of the method applied. The DP identified by TT and marked by high consumption of rice and beans was associated with lower adiposity, whereas the similar DP identified by FA, but additionally characterised by consumption of poultry and red meat was associated with higher adiposity. Prudent DP, marked by plant-based food groups and fish, identified by FA was associated with lower adiposity across the median follow-up time.

Conclusion

Applying different methods to identify DP showed that a convenience DP was associated with higher adiposity independent of the method applied. We also identified the nuances within adherence to a Brazilian traditional dietary pattern characterised by the consumption of rice and beans, that only when combined with reduced consumption of animal protein and unhealthy foods was associated with lower adiposity over time.

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Funding

The ELSA- Brasil study was supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development- CNPq. The research center of São Paulo was also supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (grant number 2011/12256-4). The Graduate Program of Public Health Nutrition is supported by the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES). M.A.A. received a scholarship from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (grant number 2019/13486-5). The funding agencies that supported the study had no role in the design, analysis or writing of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Mariane A Alves & Dirce Maria L Marchioni

  2. Center for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Paulo A Lotufo & Isabela Benseñor

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  1. Mariane A Alves
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  2. Paulo A Lotufo
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  4. Dirce Maria L Marchioni
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Correspondence to Dirce Maria L Marchioni.

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Alves, M.A., Lotufo, P.A., Benseñor, I. et al. Dietary patterns and adiposity over time – analysis of the ELSA-Brasil. Eur J Nutr (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-024-03350-w

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