Socio-economic status and ethnicity are independently associated with dietary patterns: the HELIUS-Dietary Patterns study

Louise H Dekker; Mary Nicolaou; Rob M van Dam; Jeanne H M de Vries; Evelien J de Boer; Henny A M Brants; Marja H Beukers; Marieke B Snijder; Karien Stronks

doi:10.3402/fnr.v59.26317

Socio-economic status and ethnicity are independently associated with dietary patterns: the HELIUS-Dietary Patterns study

Food Nutr Res. 2015 Jun 2:59:26317. doi: 10.3402/fnr.v59.26317. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Louise H Dekker¹, Mary Nicolaou², Rob M van Dam³, Jeanne H M de Vries⁴, Evelien J de Boer⁵, Henny A M Brants⁵, Marja H Beukers⁵, Marieke B Snijder², Karien Stronks²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; l.h.dekker@amc.uva.nl.
² Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
³ Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore.
⁴ Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
⁵ Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Background: Differences in dietary patterns between ethnic groups have often been observed. These differences may partially be a reflection of differences in socio-economic status (SES) or may be the result of differences in the direction and strength of the association between SES and diet.

Objective: We aimed to examine ethnic differences in dietary patterns and the role of socio-economic indicators on dietary patterns within a multi-ethnic population.

Design: Cross-sectional multi-ethnic population-based study.

Setting: Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Subjects: Principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns among Dutch (n=1,254), South Asian Surinamese (n=425), and African Surinamese (n=784) participants. Levels of education and occupation were used to indicate SES. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between ethnicity and dietary pattern scores first and then between socio-economic indicators and dietary patterns within and between ethnic groups.

Results: 'Noodle/rice dishes and white meat', 'red meat, snacks, and sweets' and 'vegetables, fruit and nuts' patterns were identified. Compared to the Dutch origin participants, Surinamese more closely adhered to the 'noodle/rice dishes and white meat' pattern which was characterized by foods consumed in a 'traditional Surinamese diet'. Closer adherence to the other two patterns was observed among Dutch compared to Surinamese origin participants. Ethnic differences in dietary patterns persisted within strata of education and occupation. Surinamese showed greater adherence to a 'traditional' pattern independent of SES. Among Dutch participants, a clear socio-economic gradient in all dietary patterns was observed. Such a gradient was only present among Surinamese dietary oatterns to the 'vegetables, fruit and nuts' pattern.

Conclusions: We found a selective change in the adherence to dietary patterns among Surinamese origin participants, presumably a move towards more vegetables and fruits with higher SES but continued fidelity to the traditional diet.

Keywords: HELIUS study; dietary patterns; education; non-Western ethnic minority groups; occupation; socio-economic status.