BACKGROUND

Poor diet quality is a significant and modifiable risk factor associated with numerous non-communicable diseases. Despite its critical importance, there is a paucity of comprehensive data concerning diet quality in Nigeria. In this study, we evaluated the healthiness of food intake among Nigerian adults to identify the factors associated with them and seasonal variations in food consumption patterns.

METHODS

We used a validated semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). to collect dietary data from adults in Ibadan, Nigeria, on four occasions over two years. We assessed food intake healthiness using the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS), which ranges from 0 to 49 based on 25 food groups, and its sub-metrics GDQS + (0-32, 16 food groups) and GDQS - (0-17, 9 food groups). We used Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) to examine the relationships between GDQS, demographic factors, and participants' dietary habits.

RESULTS

There were 205 participants (110 women, 95 men) with mean(SD) age of 45.0(13.4) years and mean(SD) GDQS of 29.0(4.0). Some 91.7% of the participants had a GDQS ≥ 23, signifying a low risk of poor diet quality. The multivariable analysis showed that the GDQS of those who frequently consumed home-cooked meal was higher than those who did not by 2.04 (95%CI: 0.11 to 4.07). The GDQS + of men was higher than women by 1.64 (95%CI: 0.11 to 3.03). The GDQS - of men was 0.88 lower than that of women (95%CI: - 1.53 to - 0.24), while younger participants (< 40 years) had lower GDQS - compared to older (60 + years) participants (2.51, 95%CI: - 1.58 to - 3.43) indicating a higher intake of unhealthy foods by these groups. Most participants (~ 95%) reported low intake of cruciferous vegetable.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the overall healthiness of foods consumed by Nigerian adults and low risk of poor diet quality across seasons, men and younger adults tend to consume more unhealthy foods and fewer home cooked meals. Both genders, irrespective of age, had low intakes of cruciferous vegetables. These findings highlight opportunities for targeted interventions to improve the overall healthiness of dietary intakes among Nigerian adults.