A nutritional survey was performed in a random sample of 546 individuals (ages 18 and over) in a city named Bambuí (15,000 inhabitants) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using the Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ). Median calorie intakes for women and men were 2,807 and 3,775kcal, respectively. Men consumed four times more alcohol than women, and women consumed more carbohydrates, fiber, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The relative consumption of proteins (15%), carbohydrates (57%), and lipids (28%) were adequate in both genders. The average proportions, for all participants, of an inadequate share of lipids, saturated fatty acids (SFA), PUFA, and cholesterol in the total calorie intake were, respectively, 36%, 90%, and 50%, and were more pronounced in men than in women. The lipid, SFA, and PUFA intake for women and the lipid and SFA intake for men increased with income. The PUFA/SFA ratio and the PUFA and dietary fiber intake were below the recommended levels in both genders. Dietary habits presented a differential inadequacy, suggesting possible population risk clusters for cardiovascular diseases.
Food Consumption; Nutrition Surveys; Diet
