Factors associated with diet quality among Brazilian individuals with cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: An individual's dietary pattern contributes in different ways to the prevention and control of recurrent cardiovascular events. However, the quality of the diet is influenced by several factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of the diet of individuals with cardiovascular diseases and determine whether there is an association between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with individuals with atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease) recruited from 35 reference centres for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in Brazil. Diet quality was assessed according to the Modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index (mAHEI) and stratified into tertiles. For comparing two groups, the Mann-Whitney or Pearson's chi-squared tests were used. However, for comparing three or more groups, analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis was used. For the confounding analysis, a multinomial regression model was used. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In total, 2360 individuals were evaluated: 58.5% male and 64.2% elderly. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of the mAHEI was 24.0 (20.0-30.0), ranging from 0.4 to 56.0 points. When comparing the odds ratios (ORs) for the low (first tertile) and medium (second tertile) diet quality groups with the high-quality group (third tertile), it was observed that there was an association between diet quality with a family income of 1.885 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.302-2.729) and 1.566 (95% CI = 1.097-2.235), as well as physical activity of 1.391 (95% CI = 1.107-1.749) and 1.346 (95% CI = 1.086-1.667), respectively. In addition, associations were observed between diet quality and region of residence. CONCLUSIONS: A low-quality diet was associated with family income, sedentarism and geographical area. These data are extremely relevant to assist in coping with cardiovascular disease because they enable an assessment of the distribution of these factors in different regions of the country.

Factors associated with diet quality among Brazilian individuals with cardiovascular diseases

BACKGROUND: An individual's dietary pattern contributes in different ways to the prevention and control of recurrent cardiovascular events. However, the quality of the diet is influenced by several factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of the diet of individuals with cardiovascular diseases and determine whether there is an association between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with individuals with atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral arterial disease) recruited from 35 reference centres for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in Brazil. Diet quality was assessed according to the Modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index (mAHEI) and stratified into tertiles. For comparing two groups, the Mann-Whitney or Pearson's chi-squared tests were used. However, for comparing three or more groups, analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis was used. For the confounding analysis, a multinomial regression model was used. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In total, 2360 individuals were evaluated: 58.5% male and 64.2% elderly. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of the mAHEI was 24.0 (20.0-30.0), ranging from 0.4 to 56.0 points. When comparing the odds ratios (ORs) for the low (first tertile) and medium (second tertile) diet quality groups with the high-quality group (third tertile), it was observed that there was an association between diet quality with a family income of 1.885 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.302-2.729) and 1.566 (95% CI = 1.097-2.235), as well as physical activity of 1.391 (95% CI = 1.107-1.749) and 1.346 (95% CI = 1.086-1.667), respectively. In addition, associations were observed between diet quality and region of residence. CONCLUSIONS: A low-quality diet was associated with family income, sedentarism and geographical area. These data are extremely relevant to assist in coping with cardiovascular disease because they enable an assessment of the distribution of these factors in different regions of the country.

Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade e sua associação com a síndrome metabólica em uma amostra de idosos / Prevalence of overweight and obesityand their association with metabolicsyndrome in elders

Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em uma amostra de idosose sua associação com a síndrome metabólica (SM).Metodologia: > 60 anos que consultaram na Unidade Móvel do Hospital Mãe deDeus, Bairro Piratini (Alvorada, abril a junho de 2003). Critérios de sobrepeso: índice demassa corporal de 25 a 29,9 Kg/m2, de obesidade > 30 Kg/m2 e os da SM os do NCEPATPIII.Para associação entre componentes da SM foi utilizado o coeficiente de Pearson,o teste t de Student para análise comparativa entre as médias dos grupos e o qui-quadradopara variáveis qualitativas.Resultados: Do total de 66, 26 (39,39%) tinham sobrepeso e 19 (28,79%) obesidade.Apresentaram SM: 15 (62,5%) no grupo sobrepeso e 13 (72,2%) no obesidade. Houvecorrelação entre triglicerídeos e glicemia (P<0,05) nos homens. As mulheres apresentaramcorrelação entre triglicerídeos e HDL (P<0,05) e entre triglicerídeos e glicemia(P<0,01). Na análise comparativa entre os grupos com e sem a SM, a hipertrigliceridemiaapresentou maior prevalência nos com SM (P<0,01).Conclusões: A amostra estudada apresentou elevada prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade,sendo também alta a prevalência de SM nesses grupos.

Aims: Evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a sample of elders andtheir correlation with metabolic syndrome (MS).Methodology: Outpatients, > 60 years were attended at the Mobile Unit of the Mãede Deus Hospital, in Piratini, city of Alvorada (RS), during April 2003 and June 2003.The criteria for overweight was Body Mass Index equal to 25 to 29,9 Kg/m2; for obesityBody Mass Index equal or above 30 Kg/m2 and for MS was the NCEP-ATPIII criteria.The association between the components of MS was calculated through the correlationcoefficient of Pearson (r); the Student t test was applied for the comparative analysisbetween the average of the groups, with or without MS and the chi-square test was usedfor the qualitative variables.Results: From a total 66 patients, 26 (39.39%) had overweight and 19 (28.79%)obesity. Metabolic syndrome was found in 15 patients (62.5%) of the overweight groupand in 13 (72.2%) of the obesity group. There was correlation between serum triglyceridesand plasma glucose (P<0.05) in male. Female patients presented correlationbetween triglycerides and HDL cholesterol (P<0.05) and between triglyceridesand plasma glucose (P<0.01). Comparative analysis between the groups with or withoutMS revealed hypertriglyceridemia as the most prevalent variable among the patientswith MS (P<0.01).Conclusion: The sample evaluated had a high prevalence of overweight and obesityand the prevalence of MS was also high in these groups.