Neighbourhood differences in diet: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities(ARIC) Study

Study objective-To investigate whether neighbourhood characteristics are re lated to dietary patterns independently of individual level variables. Design-A cross sectional analysis of the relation between neighbourhood med ian household income and food and nutrient intakes, before and after adjust ment for individual level variables. Setting-Four United States communities (Washington Co, MD; Suburban Minneap olis, MN; Forsyth Co, NC, and Jackson, MS). Participants-13 095 adults aged 45 to 64 years participating in the baselin e examination of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, a pr ospective study of atherosclerosis. Measurements and main results- Information on diet and individual level inc ome was obtained from the baseline examination of the ARIC Study. Diet was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Informatio n on neighbourhood (census defined block groups) median household income wa s obtained from the 1990 US Census. Multilevel models were used to account for the multilevel structure of the data. Living in lower income neighbourh oods was generally associated with decreased energy adjusted intake of frui ts, vegetables, fish, and increased intake of meat. Patterns generally pers isted after adjustment for individual level income, but were often not stat istically significant. Inconsistent associations were recorded for the inta ke of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and cholesterol. Overall, individ ual level income was a more consistent predictor of diet than neighbourhood income. Conclusion-Despite limitations in the definition and characterisation of ne ighbourhoods, this study found consistent (albeit small) differences across neighbourhoods in food intake, suggesting that more in depth research into potential neighbourhood level determinants of diet is warranted.