Food and beverage choices contributing to dietary guidelines adherence in the Lower Mississippi Delta

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to evaluate diet quality among Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) residents using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005 and to identify the top five dietary sources contributing to HEI-2005 components. Demographic differences in HEI-2005 scores were also explored. Design: Diet quality was evaluated using HEI-2005. Demographic differences in HEI-2005 scores were investigated using multivariable regression models adjusting for multiple comparisons. The top five dietary sources contributing to HEI-2005 components were identified by estimating and ranking mean MyPyramid equivalents overall and by demographic characteristics. Setting: Dietary data, based on a single 24 h recall, from the Foods of Our Delta Study 2000 (FOODS 2000) were used in the analyses. Subjects: FOODS 2000 adult participants 18 years of age or older. Results: Younger age was the largest determinant of low diet quality in the LMD with HEI-2005 total and seven component scores declining with decreasing age. Income was not a significant factor for HEI-2005 total or component scores. The top five dietary sources differed by all five of the demographic variables, particularly for total vegetables and energy from solid fats, alcoholic beverages and added sugars (SoFAAS). Soft drinks were the leading source of SoFAAS energy intake for all demographic groups. Conclusions: The assessment of diet quality and identification of top dietary sources revealed the presence of demographic differences for selected HEI-2005 components. These findings allow identification of food patterns and culturally appropriate messaging and highlight the difficulties of treating this region as a homogeneous population. Keywords Diet quality HEI-2005 Top food sources Lower Mississippi DeltaThe Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) region is a sparsely populated and highly agricultural area encompassing the alluvial plain of the Mississippi River in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The highly impoverished LMD region has long suffered from disproportionately high rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from the early 1990s revealed that 31?3 % of residents in the LMD region were obese, 6?9 % reported diabetes and 28?9 % reported hypertension (1) . A 2007 BRFSS oversample of LMD counties in Mississippi revealed that obesity, diabetes and hypertension rates had risen to 37?0 %, 12?2 % and 36?5 %, respectively (2)

Recent population adherence to and knowledge of United States federal nutrition guides, 1992-2013: a systematic review

“…A full review of these articles resulted in the additional elimination of 1 article not originating in the United States and 5 articles presenting adherence to or intake values for food groups other than those dictated by the US Department of Agriculture nutrition guides. Thus, 31 articles were included in the final sample, including 22 studies that examined adherence to federal dietary guidance (Table ), 6 that examined knowledge of federal dietary guidance (Table ), and 3 that examined both adherence to and knowledge of federal dietary guidance (Table ) …”

“…For studies examining adherence to nutrition guides, most used a 24‐hour dietary recall (n = 8) or a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (n = 10) . All studies examining knowledge of nutrition guides (n = 9) used a questionnaire or a survey regarding knowledge, behaviors, or attitudes .…”

“…All studies (n = 31) reported descriptive statistics, including the mean number of servings of each food group consumed by participants, the percentage of participants meeting minimum food group serving recommendations, and/or the percentage of participants with knowledge of nutrition guides . In addition, some studies made comparisons between participant groups based on age, sex, and ethnicity or race …”

Using Two Different Approaches to Assess Dietary Patterns: Hypothesis-Driven and Data-Driven Analysis

“…The use of dietary patterns to assess dietary intake has become increasingly common in nutritional epidemiology studies due to the complexity and multidimensionality of the diet [1,2,3]. Currently, two major approaches have been widely used: hypothesis-oriented and data-driven analysis.…”

Rice Consumption is associated with Better Nutrient Intake and Diet Quality in Children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010

“…The finding that rice consumers had greater intakes of meat and beans, specifically legumes [10], may in part be due to rice being consumed as a rice-and-bean mixed dish, a popular combination among Hispanics [24] and Southerners [25]. Given that the 2010 DGA [1] recommend an increase in bean consumption to help meet the current recommendations for dietary fiber, potassium, and magnesium, recommending rice consumption may be a viable strategy to help American consume more beans/legumes in their diet.…”