Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Studying the Integration of Adult-born Neurons
Published on: March 25, 2011
Generational differences in dietary pattern among Brazilian adults born between 1934 and 1975: a latent class
Ilana Nogueira Bezerra1, Nila Mara Smith Galvão Bahamonde2, Dirce Maria Lobo Marchioni3
11Mestrado em Nutrição e Saúde (MANS),Coordenação de Nutrição,Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE),Av. Dr Silas Munguba 1700,Bairro Itaperi,Fortaleza - CE,60714-903,Brazil.
Objective:
To identify generational differences in the dietary patterns of Brazilian adults born between 1934 and 1975.
Design:
A cross-sectional study from the baseline of the multicentre Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort. Year of birth was categorized into three birth generations: Traditionalists (born between 1934 and 1945); Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964); and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1975). Food consumption was investigated using an FFQ. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify data-driven dietary patterns.
Setting:
Brazil.
Subjects:
Individuals (n 15 069) aged 35-74 years.
Results:
A three-class model was generated from the LCA for each birth generation. Generation X presented higher energy intakes (kJ/kcal) from soft drinks (377·4/90·2) and sweets (1262·3/301·7) and lower energy intakes from fruit (1502·5/359·1) and vegetables (311·3/74·4) than Baby Boomers (283·7/67·8, 1047·7/250·4, 1756·0/419·7 and 365·3/87·3, respectively) and Traditionalists (186·2/44·5, 518·8/124·0, 1947·7/465·5 and 404·6/96·7, respectively). For Baby Boomers and Generation X, we found food patterns with similar structures: mixed pattern (22·7 and 29·7 %, respectively), prudent pattern (43·5 and 34·9 %, respectively) and processed pattern (33·8 and 35·4 %, respectively). Among Traditionalists, we could also identify mixed (30·9 %) and prudent (21·8 %) patterns, and a third pattern, named restricted dietary pattern (47·3 %).
Conclusions:
The younger generation presented higher frequencies of consuming a pattern characterized by a low nutritional diet, compared with other generations, indicating that they may age with a greater burden of chronic diseases. It is important to develop public health interventions promoting healthy foods, focusing on the youngest generations.
Related Concept Videos
The Born-Haber Cycle
Dietary Connections
Proteins: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Drug Classes and Categories
Antibody Structure and Classes
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.
Carbohydrates: Dietary Sources and Requirements

