TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of diet quality in a sample of rural and urban Australian adults
AU - Pullen, Rebekah
AU - Kent, Katherine
AU - Sharman, Matthew J.
AU - Schumacher, Tracy L.
AU - Brown, Leanne J.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The diet quality of rural Australians is under researched. Characterising disparities in diet quality between rural and urban populations may inform targeted interventions in at- risk groups. A cross-sectional study aimed to determine the relationship between diet quality, rurality and socio-demographic characteristics in a sample of Australian adults. Participants were recruited at rural and regional events between 2017 and 2020, in New South Wales, Australia. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Quiz or Australian Eating Survey to generate an Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). ARFS was compared by rurality and sociodemographic characteristics using multivariate regression. Participants (n = 247; 53% female) had a mean ± SD ARFS of 34.5 ± 9.0. There was no significant effect of rurality on ARFS (β-coefficient = −0.4; 95%CI −3.0, 2.3). Compared to participants aged 18-30 years, higher ARFS was evident for those aged 31-50 (β = 5.4; 95%CI 0.3, 10.4), 51-70 (β = 4.4; 95%CI 0.3, 8.5) and >71 years (β = 6.5; 95% CI 1.6-11.4). Compared to those living alone, participants living with a partner (β = 5.2; 95%CI 2.0, 8.4) and families with children (β = 5.6; 95%CI 1.4, 9.8) had significantly higher ARFS. ARFS was significantly lower with each additional self-reported chronic health condition (β = −1.4; 95%CI −2.3, −0.4). Our results indicate that diet quality as defined by the ARFS was classified as 'getting there' and that age, living arrangements and chronic health conditions, but not rurality, influenced diet quality in a sample of Australian adults.
AB - The diet quality of rural Australians is under researched. Characterising disparities in diet quality between rural and urban populations may inform targeted interventions in at- risk groups. A cross-sectional study aimed to determine the relationship between diet quality, rurality and socio-demographic characteristics in a sample of Australian adults. Participants were recruited at rural and regional events between 2017 and 2020, in New South Wales, Australia. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Quiz or Australian Eating Survey to generate an Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). ARFS was compared by rurality and sociodemographic characteristics using multivariate regression. Participants (n = 247; 53% female) had a mean ± SD ARFS of 34.5 ± 9.0. There was no significant effect of rurality on ARFS (β-coefficient = −0.4; 95%CI −3.0, 2.3). Compared to participants aged 18-30 years, higher ARFS was evident for those aged 31-50 (β = 5.4; 95%CI 0.3, 10.4), 51-70 (β = 4.4; 95%CI 0.3, 8.5) and >71 years (β = 6.5; 95% CI 1.6-11.4). Compared to those living alone, participants living with a partner (β = 5.2; 95%CI 2.0, 8.4) and families with children (β = 5.6; 95%CI 1.4, 9.8) had significantly higher ARFS. ARFS was significantly lower with each additional self-reported chronic health condition (β = −1.4; 95%CI −2.3, −0.4). Our results indicate that diet quality as defined by the ARFS was classified as 'getting there' and that age, living arrangements and chronic health conditions, but not rurality, influenced diet quality in a sample of Australian adults.
UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:62124
U2 - 10.3390/nu13114130
DO - 10.3390/nu13114130
M3 - Article
SN - 2072-6643
VL - 13
JO - Nutrients
JF - Nutrients
IS - 11
M1 - 4130
ER -