| dc.description.abstract | Background: Socioeconomic differences in obesity among adolescents are growing. Poor dietary behaviour is an important factor causing obesity. Overall, dietary intake of people of high SES is closer to dietary recommendations. This study examined the association between socioeconomic status and dietary intake of adolescents and the role of intrapersonal, interpersonal and community factors.
Methods: Data were used from the TEMPEST project. Data included adolescents (age 10-17) from the Netherlands, the UK, Poland and Portugal (N=2621). Mediating factors were selected based on the framework by Story et al. (2002) and existing literature. Mediation was established using the joint-significance test. Socioeconomic status was measured using the family affluence scale [FAS]. Logistic regression analysis assessed associations between FAS and dietary intake, and the possible mediating factors: ‘modelling’, ‘perceived importance of healthy eating’, ‘support by parents’, ‘support by friends’, ‘availability of foods at home’, ‘availability of foods at school’. Chi-square test were used to asses FAS differences in the mediating factors.
Results: Adolescents of low FAS (OR 1.34 (95% CI 1.02-1.76)) were more at risk to have low vegetable intake than high FAS adolescents. No similar results were found for fruit intake, intake of sugary drinks or snack intake. The association between FAS and vegetable intake decreased when ‘modelling’ or ‘availability of FV at home’ were added to the explanatory model. The association increased slightly when ‘support by parents was added’.
Conclusion: ‘Modelling’, ‘support by parents’ and ‘availability of FV at home’ contributed to the explanation of socioeconomic differences in vegetable intake. Policies and interventions should focus on these factors to decrease disparities in dietary intake. | |
