The cross-sectional association between a sustainable diet index and obesity among US adults

Authors

Sukyoung Jung, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Heather A. Young, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Samuel J. Simmens, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Barbara H. Braffett, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Cynthia L. Ogden, Department of Epidemiology, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

7-1-2023

Journal

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

Volume

31

Issue

7

DOI

10.1002/oby.23783

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Adopting multidimensional sustainable dietary patterns may be beneficial to human and planetary health. The cross-sectional association between a multidimensional sustainable diet index-US (SDI-US) and obesity in US adults was examined. METHODS: This study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007 to 2018 (n = 25,262). The SDI-US consisted of four subindices and was calculated using a 24-hour dietary recall, food expenditures, environmental impacts of foods, and food practices. A higher score indicates a more sustainable dietary pattern. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m . Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% CI. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2018, obesity prevalence in US adults was 38.2% (95% CI 37.0%-39.3%), and mean SDI-US score was 13.2 (range: 4.3-20.0). In a multivariable-adjusted model, a higher SDI-US score was associated with lower odds of obesity (Q5 vs. Q1, OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.58-0.79, p < 0.001). When stratified by sex (p interaction = 0.04), a stronger inverse association was observed in women (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.53-0.77, p < 0.0001) than in men (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: More sustainable dietary patterns were inversely associated with obesity among US adults, supporting the potential of sustainable diets in preventing obesity.

APA Citation

Jung, Sukyoung; Young, Heather A.; Simmens, Samuel J.; Braffett, Barbara H.; and Ogden, Cynthia L., "The cross-sectional association between a sustainable diet index and obesity among US adults" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 2672.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/2672

Department

Epidemiology