Unhealthy Diet Pattern Mediates the Disproportionate Prevalence of Obesity among Adults with Socio-Economic Disadvantage: An Australian Representative Cross-Sectional Study |
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Authors: | Canaan Negash Seifu Paul Patrick Fahey Evan Atlantis |
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Affiliation: | 1.School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia;2.School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia;3.Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia;4.Discipline of Medicine, Nepean Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia |
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Abstract: | The role of unhealthy dietary pattern in the association between socio-economic factors and obesity is unclear. The aim was to examine the association between socio-economic disadvantage and obesity and to assess mediation effect of unhealthy dietary pattern defined using the Mediterranean diet criteria. The data source was the Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. The study sample included 7744 participants aged 18 years and over, 28% of whom had obesity. We used the Australian Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) classification system for categorizing socio-economic disadvantage; calculated the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) using standard criteria; and used measured body mass index to define obesity. We conducted a mediation analysis using log–binomial models to generate the prevalence ratio for obesity and the proportion mediated by the MDS. The most disadvantaged group was associated with higher level of obesity after controlling for covariates (1.40, 95% CI 1.25, 1.56) compared to the least disadvantaged group, and in a dose–response way for each decreasing SEIFA quintile. The relationship between socio-economic disadvantage and obesity was mediated by the MDS (4.0%, 95% CI 1.9, 8.0). Public health interventions should promote healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, to reduce obesity, especially in communities with high socio-economic disadvantage. |
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Keywords: | Mediterranean diet unhealthy diet socio-economic disadvantage obesity |
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