%0 Journal Article
%T A Scientific Assessment of Sociodemographic Factors, Physical Activity Level, and Nutritional Knowledge as Determinants of Dietary Quality among Indo-Mauritian Women
%A Yashvee Dunneram
%A Rajesh Jeewon
%J Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/572132
%X A healthy diet is of particular concern throughout the life of women to avoid many chronic illnesses especially during their 30s to 50s. There are published data on dietary quality and its determinants among women, but there is a lack of similar data regarding women in Mauritius. This study aimed to investigate the association between age and dietary quality in relation to sociodemographic factors, physical activity level (PAL) and nutritional knowledge (NK). A survey-based study was conducted in 2012 among Indo-Mauritian women including 117 young ( ), 160 reaching middle age ( ) and 50 middle-aged ( ). Validated questionnaires were used to elicit information on the determinants. A food frequency table consisting of 18 food items was used to assess dietary quality. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the association between various factors and dietary quality. The mean dietary score of middle-aged women ( ) was closer to recommended dietary guidelines compared to young women ( ), and women reaching middle age ( ). Educational level, PAL, NK, and age were main determinants of dietary quality among Indo-Mauritian women ( ). Younger women with low educational level, PAL, and NK are at risk of poor dietary quality. 1. Introduction Mauritius is a middle-income country with a per capita Gross Domestic Product of US$15,600 PPP in 2012 [1]. It is a multiethnic nation [2] which has experienced rapid economic growth since the 1980s, with amplification in disposable income followed by changes in food consumption and lifestyle patterns similar to the globally observed trend [3, 4]. This shift in nutrition habits has been illustrated by an increase in the consumption of meat, eggs, dairy products, oils, and fats which has led to the rapid increase in the occurrence of overweight, obesity, and associated noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Few studies have documented the Mauritian dietary quality [4], but there is a lack of published data on the dietary of women in relation to various determinants. Consuming a healthy diet and having access to a nutritious supply of food are important to good health, as good nutrition is a key factor in the overall health and wellbeing of women [5]. Ensuring proper nutrition among women has several optimistic outcomes because healthy women can fulfil their multiple roles, generating income, ensuring their familiesĄŻ nutrition, and having healthier children, and thus help progress countriesĄŻ socioeconomic development [6]. A more comprehensive study of womenĄŻs dietary patterns
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2013/572132/