title: Retrospective lifetime dietary patterns are associated with demographic and cardiovascular health variables in an older community-dwelling Australian population.
abstract: Dietary patterns derived from factor analytic procedures have been demonstrated to predict demographic and health outcomes across a wide range of populations. To examine the potential utility of long-term dietary recall, in the present study, we examined associations between dietary patterns from across the lifespan and demographic and later-life cardiovascular-related health variables, using the Lifetime Diet Questionnaire (LDQ). The LDQ is a self-administered, non-quantitative, retrospective FFQ designed to assess dietary intake from childhood to older age. Participants (n 352) from the Older People, Omega-3 and Cognitive Health trial, aged 65-91 years, completed the LDQ. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the LDQ and plausible dietary patterns were derived. As a result, three patterns were extracted from each life period, with five distinct patterns overall; these were 'traditional Australian' and 'non-traditional Australian', 'high-sugar and high-fat', 'vegetable' and 'fruit and vegetable' patterns. In separate adjusted regression models, age, sex, education, income, parental background and childhood physical activity all significantly predicted dietary patterns across the lifespan. A 'traditional Australian' pattern in childhood predicted higher HDL-cholesterol levels and lower odds of cholesterol medication use; lower HDL-cholesterol levels were predicted by the adult 'processed, high-sugar and high-fat' pattern, and higher intake of a 'non-traditional Australian' pattern in adulthood also predicted lower odds of using cardiac medications. Lifetime dietary recall, as instantiated by the LDQ, provides a hitherto untapped source of long-term dietary information in older adults that may contribute to greater understanding of the impact exerted by early-life and cumulative dietary choices on later-life health.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hosking
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Danthiir
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000208:ethnology; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose