The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61341

P. Peter Basiotis, PhD¹, Andrea C. Carlson, PhD¹, and Suzanne P. Murphy, PhD, RD². (1) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, United States Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Dr., Room 1034, Alexandria, VA 22302, 703 605-4261, peter.basiotis@cnpp.usda.gov, (2) Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, 1236 Lauhala St., Suite 407, Honolulu, HI 96813

Data on 1,144 males and 1,392 females ages 21-65 years from the 1999-2000 National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey were analyzed. The objective was to examine whether a link exists between the probability of being obese (BMI >= 30) and the degree of dietary variety while controlling for food energy reported consumed over a 24 hour period, and household income, education, age, and race/ethnic origin. As part of constructing USDA’s Healthy Eating Index, a measure of overall dietary quality, a dietary variety measure was developed by USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. This variety measure is comprised of the sum of the number of different items consumed from each of the five Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) food groups. For calculating dietary variety, foods were grouped into about 350 variety subgroups. These were then further assigned to appropriate FGP groups. Food ingredients that would be in the tip of the FGP were not included in the variety measure. For this study, variety in the grain, fruit and vegetable groups was used as suggested in the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Logistic regression analyses using the statistical packages SAS and SUDAAN showed negative and statistically significant links (P<=0.05) between obesity and dietary variety among those adults with statistically isocaloric diets. In addition, obese males tended to have a lower variety of grains and fruits. Similarly, obese females tended to have a lower variety of grains.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• Articulate statistical relationships between dietary variety and risk of beeing obese.
• Distinguish dietary variety food grouping from Food Guide Pyramid food grouping systems.

Keywords: Obesity, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.