Association between dietary patterns and body mass index and waist circumference in women living in Southern Brazil

This study focused on the association between dietary patterns and obesity. A cross-sectional population-based study was performed in 1,026 adult women from Southern Brazil. Waist circumference (WC), height, and weight were measured according to a standardized protocol, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Obesity was defined as BMI >= 30kg/m(2) and WC >= 88cm. Principal components analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Multivariate analysis used a Poisson regression model to estimate prevalence ratios and respective confidence intervals. After controlling for possible confounders, low consumption of "vegetables" protected against increased BMI (PR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.47-0.86; p = 0.004), while low consumption of "nuts/oilseeds" protected against increased WC (PR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89-0.98; p = 0.008). Low consumption of "fruits" was a risk factor for high BMI (PR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.35-3.53; p = 0.001). The study indicates the complexity of the association between dietary patterns and obesity. New studies are needed to further clarify the subject.