Dietary Patterns Trend in Mexican Adolescent Population from 2006 to 2018, by Area of Residence

Abstract Objectives To analyze the dietary patterns trend in Mexican adolescent population from 2006 to 2018 by area of residence. Methods We analyzed information from four National Health and Nutrition Surveys in Mexico from 2006 to 2018. Dietary information was collected using a validated seven-day, semi-quantitative Food frequency questionnaire. We analyzed the consumption of different food groups: 1) Fruits and vegetables (g), 2) Red meat (consumption yes or not), 3) animal products (kcal), 4) sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) (kcal), and ultra-processed foods (kcal), according to NOVA classification. We estimated the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), which was constructed based on 10 food groups consumed: 1) grains, roots, and tubers; 2) pulses; 3) nuts and seeds; 4) dairy; 5) meat, poultry and fish; 6) eggs; 7) dark green leafy vegetables; 8) other vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables; 9) other vegetables; 10) other fruits. Food groups were assigned to 1 if any food item within the group was consumed, otherwise 0. We estimated the proportion of population with consumption of ≥ 400 g of fruits and vegetables/d, with ≥ 5 food groups (Minimum DDS) and percentage of consumers of red meat, and the contribution to the total energy of SSB, ultra-processed food and animal products (energy percentage). Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of sampled individuals such as sex, age, area and socio-economic status (SES) were obtained. The country was divided into urban and rural areas (≥2500 or < 2500 inhabitants, respectively). We used linear and logistic regression models to continuous and categorical variables, respectively. We analyzed difference by area. Results The percentage of population of Minimum DDS was lower in rural when compared with urban area by every year of survey (P < 0.05). The contribution of energy percentage from ultra-processed foods and animal products was lower in rural area than urban area (P < 0.05). The SSB contribution was similar in both areas. Conclusions Current findings show that the area of residence was associated with variations in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and red meat in Mexican adolescents. Consequently, interventions should focus on increasing healthy eating habits in this population, taking into account when designing preventive strategies the area of residence. Funding Sources Mexican Ministry of Health.