Objective: To evaluate the diet quality and the relative factors among rural residents in Hanzhong, Shaanxi province.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey on dietary status together with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire were conducted on rural residents aged from 18 to 80 in Hanzhong of Shaanxi in 2010. Diet quality was evaluated by using the Chinese Diet Balance Index (CDBI) scoring and evaluating system. Linear regression models were developed to identify factors that influencing the status of under/over intake.
Results: 2748 rural residents were investigated with the average daily intake of grains, beans, heavily salted vegetables, plant oil, nuts and salt. Results showed that they were higher than average level of Chinese rural residents' (P < 0.01). 80% of the residents having their daily intake of grains, oil and salt exceeded, while animal food, diary food, egg, vegetable and fruits were lower (P < 0.01) than the RNIs. However, there was under intake noticed to some extent in some areas. The average values of DBI_LBS and DBI_HBS were 22.8 and 9.8. The proportions of moderate under intake (20 < DBI_LBS ≤ 40) and moderate over intake (10 < DBI_HBS ≤ 20) were 62.6% and 48.0%. The main factors that influenced the dietary under-intake were education level, fortune index, hypertension, physical activity, and time to watch television. The main factors that affected the over-intake of diet were sex, age, number of family numbers, intensity of labor, time to sleep, smoking and drinking habits.
Conclusion: The main diet problem among the rural residents was under-dietary-intake, with over-intake to some extents, suggesting that it was necessary to strength the specific intervention program, to improve the diet quality in the residents of Hanzhong area.