Application of a dietary pattern approach in the Belgium context
Bazelmans, C.; Dramaix, M.; Kornitzer, M.; Moreau, M.; Levêque, A.
Revue d'Epidemiologie et de Sante Publique 53(2): 182-191
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0398-7620 PMID: 16012376 Document Number: 584884
A prospective study was conducted to analyse the dietary patterns of 5225 men and 4476 women aged 25-74 years old in Belgium, during 1979-84, using the a priori and a posteriori methods. Dietary data were collected from all subjects using a 24-h recall, and from a subsample using a 7-day diet record. The a priori method was applied by calculating an index (IAR) based on the national dietary guidelines. A principal component analysis based on data from the 24-h recall and 7-day record was used to identify dietary patterns a posteriori. The results revealed an IAR (measures the adherence to Belgian dietary guidelines) of 0-8, with higher scores representing healthier diet. The mean IAR for the entire sample was 3.7+or-1.2, with a significantly higher IAR for women than men (3.9+or-1.2 vs. 3.6+or-1.2). Using factor analysis, 8 dietary patterns for men and women were identified, which were difficult to translate in terms of dietary intake profile. In contrast, the factors identified using the 7-day record showed "western" and "prudent" dietary profiles. It is concluded that dietary pattern analysis offers the opportunity to evaluate the overall quality of the diet. It is suggested that the dietary profiles constructed by the 2 approaches should be related to morbidity or mortality to evaluate their predictive capacity.