Dietary patterns during pregnancy and the association with sociodemographic characteristics among women attending general practices in southern Brazil: the ECCAGe Study Padrões alimentares na gestação e associação com características sociodemográficas em mulheres atendidas em unidades básicas de saúde no Sul do Brasil: Estudo ECCAGe Padrones alimentarios en la gestación y su asociación con características sociodemográficas en mujeres atendidas en unidades básicas de salud en el sur de Brasil: estudio ECCAGe

Abstract The assessment of the relationship between food intake and sociodemographic factors is crucial for developing effective public health policies. The present study aimed to examine dietary pat-terns in pregnant women and the association between these patterns and sociodemographic characteristics. Pregnant women attending gen -eral practices in southern Brazil (n = 712) an-swered a questionnaire and a food-frequency questionnaire with 88 items. Three dietary pat-terns were identified using cluster analysis. The association between the dietary patterns and sociodemographic variables was analyzed using the chi-square test and adjusted standardized re -siduals (p < 0,05). The restricted pattern was as-sociated with lower maternal age, not living with a partner and being a non-working student. The varied pattern was associated with older mater-nal age, living with a partner, being employed and higher levels of education and income. The common-Brazilian dietary pattern included tra-ditional Brazilian food items and was associated with lower levels of education and income, being unemployed and being a non-student.Pregnant Women; Diet; Food Habits