Fruit and Vegetable, Fish, and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Adults Aged 40-65 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study of Dietary Patterns and Sociodemographic Correlates in North-Eastern Poland.

Background/

Objectives

Fruit and vegetable, fish, and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake are important modifiable determinants of cardiovascular risk, yet data on these dietary behaviours among middle-aged adults in Poland remain limited. This study assessed their prevalence and sociodemographic correlates.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4935 adults aged 40-65 years (mean age 54.2 ± 7.0 years; 59.4% women) participating in the "Bet on Prophylaxis-Program for the Prevention of Cerebral Vascular Diseases, in the Masovian, Podlaskie and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships". Dietary habits and physical activity (PA) were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent correlates of each dietary behaviour, including sex × education interactions.

Results

Daily fruit and vegetable consumption was reported by 67.7% of participants, fish consumption ≥1-2 times/week by 64.1%, and frequent SSB consumption by 14.0%. Daily fruit and vegetable intake was independently associated with female sex (OR = 1.92), higher education (OR = 2.24), older age, and PA (all p < 0.001). Women reported healthier fruit and vegetable and SSB habits than men, while fish intake did not differ by sex. Neither body mass index (BMI) nor waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was independently associated with any dietary behaviour after full adjustment, although WHR showed a weak unadjusted association with poorer fruit and vegetable and SSB habits. A global test of the sex × education interaction was significant for fish consumption (Wald χ2 = 15.2, df = 3, p = 0.002), but not for fruit and vegetable (p = 0.622) or SSB consumption (p = 0.083).

Conclusions

Dietary behaviours differed by sex and education, with central adiposity showing a weaker, non-independent association compared with the unadjusted analysis. The association between education and diet differed by sex for fish consumption, being evident mainly among men; a similar pattern for SSB consumption did not reach statistical significance.