Dietary patterns and their association with overweight and sociodemographic factors among in a cohort of pregnant women in São Paulo, Brazil

INTRODUCTION:  To identify dietary patterns among pregnant women before the pregnancy, in the PROCRIAR cohort study, established to investigate exposure to pollution and nutrition factors in pregnancy related to pulmonary health in their children.

METHODS: A validated FFQ was applied in the first quarter of pregnancy, referred to the previous 12 months before the onset of pregnancy to the 461 women, aged from 13 to 48 y, who participated in the cohort study, in Municipality of São Paulo, Brazil.  Dietary patterns were identified through principal components factorial analysis. The component scores were considered as outcome variables in linear regression models to assess the associations with overweight and sociodemographic factors.  

RESULTS: Two factors were retained, accounting for 24% of the total variability, named healthy and unhealthy. In the healthy pattern were observed high loading for fruits, vegetables, meat and rice and beans (the staple food in Brazil), non-alcoholic beverages, milk and dairy products, bread and biscuits. In the unhealthy, sweets, potatoes, bread spreads, bread and biscuits, processed meat, meat, pasta, junk food, non alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.  The healthy pattern was positively associated with working out of home, age higher than 20y, and a borderline inverse relationship with overweight. The unhealthy pattern was inversely associated with age higher than 20y.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified two dietary patterns with distinct nutritional characteristic:  a more protective pattern and a pattern that might have undesired effects on health of both the mother and concept.