Dietary quality and associated factors among factory workers in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The workplace is a manageable community-based setting for ensuring proper nutrition. This study aimed to evaluate dietary quality and associated factors among adult workers at a cosmetics factory in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil. This factory was actively participating in the Brazilian Workers' Meal Program, which was created to ensure workers' nutritional health. In this cross-sectional study, data on 202 adult workers were assessed using questionnaires (sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle characteristics) administered during August and September 2006. Dietary intake, measured by 24-hour dietary recall, was used to calculate the modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI). A repeated administration of the 24-hour dietary recall was applied in a random subsample to calculate the modified HEI adjusted for the within-person variation in intake. Mean adjusted modified HEI scores were analyzed using multiple linear regression adjusted for energy. The mean adjusted modified HEI score was 72.3+/-8.0. The lowest adjusted modified HEI components scores were "milk and dairy products" (4.4+/-3.2) and "sodium" (3.7+/-3.1). Two percent of workers had "poor diet" (adjusted modified HEI score <51 points) and the majority (87%) had "diet that needs modification" (adjusted modified HEI score between 51 and 80), despite their participation in the meal program. Adjusted modified HEI scores were considerably higher for men (74.7+/-7.0) than for women (66.9+/-8.2) and for normal body mass index (calculated as kg/m(2)) (73.3+/-7.8) than for overweight/obese (70.9+/-8.1). Based on these results, the vast majority of workers were found to have diets that needed improvement. Individuals with higher-quality diets were more likely to have lower body mass index and to be male.