The effect of household composition on diet diversity scores in a socioeconomically diverse urban population of African American and White Adults
Date
2017
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Background: Diet diversity (DD), a measure of variety, is an indicator of diet quality. Individual diet diversity scores (DDS) can be determined by measuring how many food groups are represented in a person’s diet, as well as the serving size of each portion associated with food groups within a 24-hour period. ☐ Aim and Hypothesis: The primary aim of the study was to evaluate how household composition effects individual DDS within an urban population of White and African American adults, stratified by race and socioeconomic status (SES). ☐ Subjects: The sample contained 1,610 White and African American adult participants from Wave 3 of the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. ☐ Methods: DD was calculated by two methods, food scores (DDFS) and serving scores (DDSS) using an adapted version of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010 adequacy components food groups. DDFS were calculated by assigning one point for food consumed from one of eight HEI-2010 adequacy component groups (maximum score = eight). DDSS were created using the HEI scores for the same eight food groups, scoring between zero and five depending on servings consumed (maximum score= forty). Household composition was defined as (1) children and spouse always present (2) children always present with spouse never present, (3) no children present with spouse always present, and (4) no children, spouse never present. ☐ Statistical Analysis: Linear regression models were used to analyze the relationship between DDS and household composition, adjusting for the following covariates: sex, race, age, SES, and education. Interaction terms of race*SES and race*sex were also included in the final model. ☐ Results: Households with children, but no spouse present have the lowest unadjusted DDSS, [White: 15.69(± 0.589); African American: 15.58 (± 0.353) p=0.885]. The highest unadjusted DDSS were found for households with no children, and a spouse always present, [White:18.09(± 0.434); African American: 16.60(± 0.422) p=0.020]. Household composition did not have a significant effect on DDFS or DDSS in the regression analyses when scores were adjusted for demographics. Sex, age, education, and the interaction of race*SES were significantly associated with both DD scoring methods. ☐ Conclusion: Regardless of household composition, DD was better for White compared to African American and for higher SES groups compared to lower SES groups. Older White women with high SES, and a high school diploma had a higher DDSS than all other race-sex groups. Household composition did not affect the overall variety of the diet of the HANDLS participants. Variety is an essential component of a healthful diet and although household composition was not significant, other more comprehensive measures of diet quality could be influenced by household composition.
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Keywords
Health and environmental sciences, Diet diversity, Diet quality, Diet variety, Family structure, HANDLS, Nutrition