Adolescent dietary patterns are associated with lifestyle family psycho-social factors

Authors

Gina L. Ambrosini, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Wendy H. Oddy, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Monique Robinson, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Therese A. O'Sullivan, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Beth P. Hands, University of Notre Dame AustraliaFollow
Nick H. de Klerk, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Sven Silburn, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Stephen R. Zubrick, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Garth E. KendallFollow
Fiona Stanley, Telethon Institute for Child Health ResearchFollow
Lawrence Beilin, University of Western AustraliaFollow

Publication Details

Ambrosini, G. L., Oddy, W. H., Robinson, M., O'Sullivan, T. A., Hands, B. P., de Klerk, N. H., Silburn, S., Zubrick, S. R., Kendall, G. E., Stanley, F., & Beilin, L. (2009). Adolescent dietary patterns are associated with lifestyle family psycho-social factors. Public Health Nutrition, 12 (10), 1807-1815.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980008004618

Abstract

Background/ Objectives: Dietary intake during adolescence contributes to lifelong eating habits and the development of early risk factors for disease in adulthood. Few studies have examined the dietary patterns of adolescents and the social and environmental factors that may affect them during this life stage. The present study describes dietary patterns in a cohort of adolescents and examines their associations with socioeconomic factors, as well as parental and adolescent risk factor behaviours.

Design: A semi quantitative FFQ was used to assess study adolescents’ usual dietary intake over the previous year. Information was collected on family functioning and various socio economic and risk factor variables via questionnaire. Adolescents visited the clinic for anthropometric measurements.

Setting: The Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study (Raine Study), Perth, Western Australia.

Subjects: Adolescents (n 1631) aged 14 years from a pregnancy cohort study.

Results: Factor analysis identified two distinct dietary patterns that differed predominantly in fat and sugar intakes. The ‘Western’ pattern consisted of high intakes of take away foods, soft drinks, confectionery, French fries, refined grains, full fat dairy products and processed meats. The ‘Healthy’’ pattern included high intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes and fish. ANOVA showed that the ‘Western’ dietary pattern was positively associated with greater television viewing and having a parent that smoked, and was inversely associated with family income. The ‘Healthy’’ pattern was positively associated with female gender, greater maternal education, better family functioning and being in a two parent family, and was inversely associated with television viewing.

Conclusions: This study suggests that both lifestyle factors and family psycho social environment are related to eating patterns in Australian adolescents.

Keywords

Peer-reviewed, adolescents, diet, food habits, factor analysis, family relations. risk factors, cohort studeis, physical activity, television, dietary patterns