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Demographic and socio-economic predictors of diet quality among adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2019

Selma Gicevic*
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Audrey J Gaskins
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Teresa T Fung
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA Department of Nutrition, Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA
Bernard Rosner
Affiliation:
Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Edin Sabanovic
Affiliation:
Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jelena Milesevic
Affiliation:
Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Belgrade, Serbia
Agnes Kadvan
Affiliation:
Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Belgrade, Serbia
Emir Kremic
Affiliation:
Institute for Statistics of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Walter Willett
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Email selma.gicevic@mail.harvard.edu
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Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate associations of demographic and socio-economic factors with diet quality among population subgroups in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H).

Design:

A cross-sectional analysis of 2017 B&H dietary survey data. Diet quality was assessed by the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) utilizing data from two non-consecutive 24 h diet recalls. Socio-economic variables were extracted from the 2015 B&H Household Budget Survey. Homogeneity of means across population subgroups was evaluated using multivariable regression.

Setting:

B&H population survey.

Participants:

A population-based sample of 853 adults.

Results:

The mean PDQS was 15·8 (range 7–28 out of a possible 42 points). In general, Bosnian adults had low PDQS due to high intakes of refined grains, high-fat dairy and processed meats, and low intakes of whole grains, nuts and fish. The PDQS was significantly higher (P < 0·0001) among older individuals (17·0) compared with those in the youngest group (14·5), among individuals living in the central and northern regions (16·5) compared with those living in the south (15·1; P < 0·0001), and among people who are married/cohabitating (16·1) v. single (14·8; P = 0·02). In energy-adjusted models, socio-economic status (P = 0·04) and tertiles of household spending (P = 0·002) were inversely associated with the PDQS.

Conclusions:

Diet quality in this population was low. Young and middle-aged individuals, singles and those living in the south had significantly lower quality diets compared with other subgroups. Public health action is needed to promote higher consumption of whole grains, nuts and fish, and a higher variety of fruits and vegetables.

Information

Type
Research paper
Copyright
© The Authors 2019 
Figure 0

Table 1 Characteristics of participants in the Bosnia and Herzegovina dietary survey (2017)

Figure 1

Table 2 Socio-economic and geographic variations in nutrient intakes among adults in the Bosnia and Herzegovina dietary survey (2017)

Figure 2

Table 3 Demographic variations in intakes of selected foods among adults in the Bosnia and Herzegovina dietary survey (2017)

Figure 3

Table 4 Socio-economic variations in intakes of selected foods among adults in the Bosnia and Herzegovina dietary survey (2017)

Figure 4

Table 5 Predictors of diet quality measured by the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) among adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2017)

Supplementary material: File

Gicevic et al. supplementary material

Tables S1-S3

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