title: Dietary availability patterns of the Brazilian macro-regions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological studies have raised concerns about the role of dietary patterns on the risk of chronic diseases and also in the formulation of better informed nutrition policies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The development of a dietary availability patterns according to geographic regions in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2002-2003 Brazilian Household Budget Survey was conducted in 48,470 households. Dietary availability patterns were identified by Principal Component Analysis using as a unit of analysis the survey's Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) and purchased amounts for 21 food groups. Each of the extracted dietary availability patterns was regressed on socioeconomics categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in dietary availability patterns between urban and rural areas. In all regions, a rice and beans pattern was identified. This pattern explained 15% to 28% of the variance dependent on the region of the country. In South, Southeast and Midwest regions, a mixed pattern including at least 10 food groups explaining 8% to 16% of the variance. In the North region (Amazon forest included) the first pattern was based on fish and nuts and then it was designed as regional pattern. In multiple linear regression the rice and beans pattern was associated with the presence of adolescents in the households, except for North region, whereas the presence of adolescents was associated with the Regional pattern. A mixed patterns were associated with a higher income and education (p < 0.05), except in the South region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rice and beans and regional dietary availability patterns, both considered healthy eating patterns are still important in the country. Brazil has taken many actions to improve nutrition as part of their public health policies, the data of the Household Budget Survey could help to recognize the different food choices in the large regions of the country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Applied Nutrition, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. sileia@ims.uerj.br
authors.forename: Sileia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Flávia S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Rosely
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sichieri
authors.forename: Rosangela A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016014:Linear Models; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population