INTRODUCTION: The food groups conventionally applied in activities of nutritional counseling were established according to their macronutrient content. However, it does not consider recent scientific evidences of the association between food consumption and risk of developing non-communicable chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: To propose food groups for the investigation of the association between food consumption and risk of developing type 2 diabetes and associated diseases among Japanese-Brazilians. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of a lifestyle intervention study conducted among Japanese-Brazilians of Bauru, SP, Brazil, from 2005 to 2007. Food intake was assessed by three 24-hour recalls of 640 participants, both genders, aged 30 to 88 years old. RESULTS: Eighteen new food groups were proposed according to their quantity and quality of fat, carbohydrates, sodium, and fiber. CONCLUSION: The new food groups incorporate recent evidences of the association between diet and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
food; food consumption; food groups; food classification; diabetes mellitus, type 2; Japanese-Brazilians