To read this content please select one of the options below:

Association between dietary diversity and obesity in Ardebil adults: a case-control study

Mahsa Mohajeri (Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran)
Shiva Hoojeghani (Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran)
Farhad Pourfarzi (Department of Community Medicine, Digestive disease Research Centre, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran)
Mohammad Ghahremanzadeh (Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran)
Ali Barzegar (Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran)

Nutrition & Food Science

ISSN: 0034-6659

Article publication date: 24 September 2019

Issue publication date: 22 April 2020

262

Abstract

Purpose

Obesity is a multi-factorial problem that develops from an interaction between diet, genetics, physical activity, medication, and other factors. This paper aims to examine the association between dietary diversity score (DDS) and obesity among adults of Ardebil.

Design/methodology/approach

This case-control study was conducted on 204 cases (obese and overweight participants) and 204 controls (healthy weight individuals) matched by socioeconomic status (SES), age (older than 30 years) and sex. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24 h food recall questionnaire. Data on physical activity and socio-demographic variables were gathered. DDS was computed based on the scoring of the 14 food groups recommended by the Food and Agriculture organization guideline.

Findings

The DDS of the obese group was higher (5.02 ± 1.02) than that of the healthy weight group (4.23 ± 1.18) (p < 0.001). There was a significant association between DDS and body mass index (BMI) in both groups of study, but this association was more significant in the obese group (β = 0.501, p = 0.021) than that of healthy weight group (β = 0.413, p= 0.042). Vegetable food group score in both groups of the study was associated with obesity inversely (p < 0.05).

Originality/value

This study was conducted for the first time in Ardabil city and the results showed for the first time that there is a relationship between dietary diversity and obesity. People with a higher dietary diversity score are more likely to be obese. In fact, this study for the first time proved that people who are obese have a more varied diet but less vegetables and fruits.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the study participants. They are also grateful to the staff of Tabriz and Ardebil University of medical sciences to their support and cooperation.

Conflict of interest: None

Citation

Mohajeri, M., Hoojeghani, S., Pourfarzi, F., Ghahremanzadeh, M. and Barzegar, A. (2020), "Association between dietary diversity and obesity in Ardebil adults: a case-control study", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 50 No. 3, pp. 555-567. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-04-2019-0118

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles