Dieta de saúde planetária e qualidade das refeições entre estudantes universitários

Abstract

Food is an important link between human and environmental health. The means of production and the excessive consumption of food of animal origin are harmful to health and generate severe environmental impacts. By evaluating the diet of groups vulnerable to changes in eating habits, such as university students upon entering university, it is possible to obtain relevant information related to the implementation of possible actions for environmental mitigation and prevention of obesity and CNCD. Objective: To analyze the adherence of university students to planetary health diet recommendations and their association with the overall quality of meals according to the places of consumption. Methods: In this work, data from the Longitudinal Study of Lifestyle and Health of University Students (ELESEU) carried out in a Brazilian public university was used. Food consumption was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. Meal quality was assessed using the Breakfast Meal Quality Index and the Main Meal Quality Index, and sustainable consumption was assessed using Planetary Health Diet recommendations. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to verify the association between planetary health diet and the overall quality of meals consumed at the university. Results: 659 university students were included, with consumption closer to the recommendations for dairy products (79.1%) and chicken and other poultry (61.9%); the nutritional quality of meals showed disparity between places of consumption; breakfast had better quality when consumed at home (42 points [CI95%= 40.25; 44.00]) and lower quality when consumed in the university environment (33 points [CI95%= 31.39; 35.85] ), however lunch (51 points [CI95%= 49.29; 53.28]) and dinner consumed at the university (50 points [CI95%= 48.13; 53.53]) had better nutritional quality than when consumed in other locations. Having breakfast in a university environment was associated with lower chances of sustainable consumption of saturated fats (OR = 0.54; [CI95% = 0.34; 0.85]) and greater chances of sustainable consumption of dairy products (OR = 1.92; [95% CI = 1.07; 3.45]); having lunch at the university was associated with greater chances of sustainable consumption to total vegetables (OR= 1.62; [CI95%= 1.00; 2.60]), pulses (OR= 5.35; [CI95%= 1.68; 17.05]) and dairy products (OR= 1.60; [CI95%= 1.00; 2.57]) compared to those who do not eat at this location. Dinner at the university was associated with greater chances of sustainable consumption of total vegetables (OR= 1.77; [95%CI= 1.12; 2.82]) and saturated fats (OR= 1.84; [95%CI= 1.19; 2.83]). However, it was associated with lower chances of sustainable consumption of foods of animal origin such as red meat (OR = 0.56; [CI95% = 0.35; 0.92]). Conclusion: Among the food components of the planetary health diet, only chicken and other poultry and dairy products came close to the recommendations. This study identified that meals, lunch and dinner, have superior nutritional quality when consumed in the university environment, however, it suggests lower chances of sustainable consumption of red meat.