Objective: To identify dietary patterns and analyze factors associated with the consumption profile of socially vulnerable children, Maceió, state of Alagoas, Brazil, August 2019 to December 2021.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; sociodemographic, anthropometric and food consumption variables were collected, factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns; associations were analyzed using Poisson regression.
Results: Among the 567 children studied, two dietary patterns were identified, healthy and unhealthy; age ≥ 24 months (PR = 2.75; 95%CI 1.83;4.14), male gender (PR = 0.66; 95%CI 0.49;0.87) and maternal schooling ≤ 9 years (PR = 0.61; 95%CI 0.46;0.81) was higher in the healthy pattern; the unhealthy pattern was associated with age ≥ 24 months (PR = 1.02; 95%CI 1.01;1.03) and male gender (PR = 1.46; 95%CI 1.08;1.98).
Conclusion: The healthy pattern was more frequent in children aged ≥ 24 months, less frequent in male children and mothers with low level of schooling; children aged ≥ 24 months and males showed a higher prevalence of the unhealthy pattern.
Main results: Two dietary patterns were defined, healthy and "unhealthy", which were associated with male gender, age ≥ 24 months and maternal schooling ≤ 9 years of study.
Implications for services: The study data can assist health professionals dedicated to primary healthcare services, such as nutritionists, in planning interventions to promote healthy eating habits aimed at children.
Perspectives: Prospective studies with these populations are necessary to assess the causality of the associations found in this study, aiming to plan more effective public health actions.
Objetivo: Identificar hábitos alimentarios de niños socialmente vulnerables y analizar su relación con factores vinculados al perfil de consumo de Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil.
Métodos: Estudio transversal de base poblacional llevado a cabo de agosto de 2019 a diciembre de 2021; se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, antropométricas y de consumo de alimentos, los patrones alimenticios se identificaron mediante análisis factorial; las asociaciones se analizaron mediante regresión de Poisson.
Resultados: De los 567 niños estudiados se identificaron dos hábitos de alimentación, “saludable” y “no saludable”; edad ≥ 24 meses (RP = 2,75; IC95% 1,83;4,14), sexo masculino (RP = 0,66; IC95% 0,49;0,87) y educación materna ≤ 9 años (RP = 0,61; IC95% 0,46;0,81) se asociaron al patrón “saludable”; el patrón “no saludable” se asoció con la edad ≥ 24 meses (RP = 1,02; IC95% 1,01;1,03) y el sexo masculino (RP = 1,46; IC95% 1,08;1,98).
Conclusión: El patrón “saludable” fue más frecuente en niños ≥ 24 meses y menos frecuente en niños varones y madres con menor educación; los niños de ≥ 24 meses y los varones tuvieron una mayor prevalencia del patrón “no saludable”.