Dietary patterns according to characteristics of food processing: social inequalities, impacts on dietary quality and the environment

• Grant number: 23/07638-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 19, 2024
• End date: January 15, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Maria Laura da Costa Louzada
• Grantee: Gabriela Lopes da Cruz
• Supervisor: Kathryn Bradbury
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/11009-8 - Food consumption in Brazil: social inequalities, impact on diet quality and on the environment, BP.DD

Abstract

Introduction: Understanding the food consumption patterns of a population holds significant importance in public health promotion efforts worldwide. The NOVA classification system is an important tool widely used to categorize foods according to the extent and purpose of their industrial processing. Assessing the relationship between food patterns and social inequalities, accessibility, and the impacts on dietary quality and the environment, as well as their changes over time can provide valuable insights for interventions and enhancing public health outcomes at the population level. Objective: To evaluate the trend of household food acquisition according to the degree of food processing in New Zealand between 2012 and 2019, and its socioeconomic distribution, and to assess food consumption patterns in Brazil during the period of 2017-2018, examining their relation with dietary nutritional quality, environmental impact indicators and accessibility. Methods: Data on New Zealand households' dietary purchases will be used to analyze trends and variations in the proportion of food groups in the diet, considering socioeconomic variables. In a subsequent analysis, data from a national Brazilian food consumption survey will be used to evaluate the association between a traditional diet, marked by rice and beans consumption, and mean nutrient intake, environmental footprints (carbon and water), and diet cost.