Trends of Adherence to Dietary Patterns in Colombian Population, 2010-2015

Objectives: In this study we sought to determine: (1) adherence to each one of the dietary patterns (DPs) identified in Colombia by the National Nutrition Surveys (ENSIN) in 2010 and 2015; (2) trends in adherence to these patterns between 2010 and 2015; and (3) differences in adherence between the 2 surveys according to some of the biological and socioeconomic variables. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with secondary analysis of data from the ENSIN-2010 and ENSIN-2015 surveys that enrolled 37,667 persons. Diet was assessed by a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Based on a factor analysis, 3 dietary patterns were identified: traditional/starch pattern (TSP), fruit-vegetable/dairy pattern (FVDP), and snack pattern (SP). We used multiple linear regression to estimate adjusted differences in adherence to patterns between ENSIN-2010 and ENSIN-2015. Results: For both years, adults had the lowest adherence to the 3 DPs. Between 2010 and 2015, the TSP pattern decreased for children, the FVDP remained the same for all age groups, and SP decreased for all age groups. Conclusion: These findings can aid in designing, monitoring, and evaluating food education intervention strategies with a differential approach and an emphasis on the traditional Colombian dietary pattern, according to the life cycle stage.