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The association between socio-economic position and diet quality in Australian adults

journal contribution
posted on 2016-02-01, 00:00 authored by Kathryn BackholerKathryn Backholer, E Spencer, Emma Gearon, D J Magliano, Sarah McNaughtonSarah McNaughton, Jonathan Shaw, Anna PeetersAnna Peeters
AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the association between multiple measures of socio-economic position (SEP) and diet quality, using a diet quality index representing current national dietary guidelines, in the Australian adult population.DesignCross-sectional study. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate the association between indicators of SEP (educational attainment, level of income and area-level disadvantage) and diet quality (measured using the Dietary Guideline Index (DGI)) in the total sample and stratified by sex and age (≤55 years and >55 years).SettingA large randomly selected sample of the Australian adult population.SubjectsAustralian adults (n 9296; aged ≥25 years) from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.ResultsA higher level of educational attainment and income and a lower level of area-level disadvantage were significantly associated with a higher DGI score, across the gradient of SEP. The association between indicators of SEP and DGI score was consistently stronger among those aged ≤55 years compared with their older counterparts. The most disadvantaged group had a DGI score between 2 and 5 units lower (depending on the marker of SEP) compared with the group with the least disadvantage.ConclusionsA higher level of SEP was consistently associated with a higher level of diet quality for all indicators of SEP examined. In order to reduce socio-economic inequalities in diet quality, healthy eating initiatives need to act across the gradient of socio-economic disadvantage with a proportionate focus on those with greater socio-economic disadvantage.

History

Journal

Public Health Nutrition

Volume

19

Issue

3

Pagination

477 - 485

Publisher

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Location

England

ISSN

1368-9800

eISSN

1475-2727

Language

English

Publication classification

C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2015, The Authors