title: The association between socio-economic position and diet quality in Australian adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the association between multiple measures of socio-economic position (SEP) and diet quality, using a diet quality index representing current national dietary guidelines, in the Australian adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate the association between indicators of SEP (educational attainment, level of income and area-level disadvantage) and diet quality (measured using the Dietary Guideline Index (DGI)) in the total sample and stratified by sex and age (≤55 years and >55 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  A large randomly selected sample of the Australian adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australian adults (n 9296; aged ≥25 years) from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A higher level of educational attainment and income and a lower level of area-level disadvantage were significantly associated with a higher DGI score, across the gradient of SEP. The association between indicators of SEP and DGI score was consistently stronger among those aged ≤55 years compared with their older counterparts. The most disadvantaged group had a DGI score between 2 and 5 units lower (depending on the marker of SEP) compared with the group with the least disadvantage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A higher level of SEP was consistently associated with a higher level of diet quality for all indicators of SEP examined. In order to reduce socio-economic inequalities in diet quality, healthy eating initiatives need to act across the gradient of socio-economic disadvantage with a proportionate focus on those with greater socio-economic disadvantage.
authors.affiliation: 1Obesity and Population Health,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Alfred Centre,Commercial Road,Melbourne,VIC 3004,Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Backholer
authors.affiliation: 1Obesity and Population Health,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Alfred Centre,Commercial Road,Melbourne,VIC 3004,Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: 1Obesity and Population Health,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Alfred Centre,Commercial Road,Melbourne,VIC 3004,Australia.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gearon
authors.affiliation: 2Diabetes and Population Health,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: Dianna J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Magliano
authors.affiliation: 3Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research,School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences,Deakin University,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McNaughton
authors.affiliation: 4Clinical Epidemiology and Diabetes,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: 1Obesity and Population Health,Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute,Alfred Centre,Commercial Road,Melbourne,VIC 3004,Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Diet quality; Education; Obesity; Socio-economic position