Energy and macronutrient intakes in Brazil: results of the first nationwide individual dietary survey

• Published in: Public health nutrition 2015-12, Vol.18 (17), p.3086-3095
• Main Authors: Souza, Rita AG, Yokoo, Edna M, Sichieri, Rosely, Pereira, Rosangela A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Artificial sweeteners; Beverages; Brazil; Carbohydrates; Child; Child development; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet - adverse effects; Diet - ethnology; Diet Records; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; Dietary Fats - adverse effects; Dietary Sucrose - administration & dosage; Dietary Sucrose - adverse effects; Energy; Energy Intake - ethnology; Expenditures; Family income; Female; Food; Households; Humans; Income; Male; Middle Aged; Monitoring and surveillance; Nutrition; Nutrition Policy; Nutrition Surveys; Obesity; Overweight; Patient Compliance - ethnology; Research Papers; Sex Characteristics; Sugar; Sugarcane; Trends; Variance analysis; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980015000750

To characterize energy and macronutrient intakes in Brazil and to describe the top food items contributing to energy and macronutrient intakes. Two non-consecutive 24 h dietary records were collected and energy and macronutrient data were adjusted for usual intake distribution. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA with the Bonferroni post hoc test were analysed using SAS version 9·1. Means and standard deviations were estimated for sex, age and income strata. Nationwide cross-sectional survey, 2008-2009. Nationally representative sample of individuals ≥10 years old (n32 749), excluding pregnant and lactating women (n 1254). The average energy intake was 7958 kJ/d (1902 kcal/d) and mean energy density was 6·82 kJ/g (1·63 kcal/g). Added sugar represented 13 % of total energy intake and animal protein represented 10 %. The mean contribution of total fat to energy intake was 27 %, while the mean saturated fat contribution was 9 %. Compared with the lowest quartile of income, individuals in the highest income quartile had greater mean intakes of energy, added sugar, alcohol, animal protein, total fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and trans fat. Rice, beans, beef, bread and coffee were among the top five foods contributing most to the intakes of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat and fibre. In general, Brazilians' dietary intake is compatible with a high risk of obesity and non-communicable chronic diseases, being characterized by high intakes of added sugar and saturated fat. Income may be a major determinant of diet nutritional characteristics.