OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed the consumption of foods that protect against and promote cardiovascular diseases and associated factors by adults from Pernambuco. METHODS: This cross-sectional, population-based study done in 2006 involved 1820 adults aged 25 to 59 years. Foods were divided into three groups: high-fiber (protective foods), sugary foods and high-saturated fat foods (risk of cardiovascular disease and excess weight gain). Food intake was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and amounts were converted into scores. The model included demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral and anthropometric variables. RESULTS: The mean sugary food intake score was higher than the high-fiber and high-saturated fat intake scores (p<0.001). Older country people with lower income and education level consumed less sugary foods and saturated fats. The highest high-fiber food scores were associated with higher income and education level. Low-birth weight individuals presented a high intake of simple carbohydrates; nonsmokers and those who reported consuming alcoholic beverages presented a high intake of saturated fats. Fiber intake was higher among nonsmokers and individuals with higher income and education level. CONCLUSION: Higher intake of sugary foods instead of high-fiber foods makes people more susceptible to diet-related diseases and reflects the nutritional transition that has been going on in Brazil in the last decades.
Carbohydrates; Food consumption; Cardiovascular diseases; Fats
