(P13-062-24) Relationship Between Perceptions of Healthy Food Access and Dietary Quality Among Adults From the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study

Objectives: To examine the association between perceived access to healthy foods and dietary quality.

Methods: The Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS) is a large cohort of Puerto Rican adults living in Massachusetts. Diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index of 2010 (AHEI-2010) is a summative score based on 11 components with higher scores indicating higher dietary quality. The Perceived Access to Healthy Food Scale (PAHF) is a summative score that assesses perceptions of access, selection, and quality of fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, whole grains, fish, and fast-food ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. A higher PAHF score indicates lower perceived access, selection, and quality of food. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between PAHF score and AHEI-2010. There was an interaction between sex and PAHF score (P = 0.006) in relation to AHEI; therefore, analyses were stratified by sex.

Results: Of the total sample (n = 786), mean AHEI-2010 score was 50.2 ± 10.2 out of a possible 110. In men, there was no association between PAHF score and dietary quality (P = 0.14). In women, higher perceived access (lower PAHF score) was associated with higher dietary quality (β = -0.177; 95% CI: -0268, -0.086 P = < 0.001) adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). This association remained after further adjustment for poverty-income ratio, marital status, and length of residence (β = -0.150; 95% CI: -0.256, -0.052; P = 0.003).

Of the total sample (n = 786), mean AHEI-2010 score was 50.2 ± 10.2 out of a possible 110. In men, there was no association between PAHF score and dietary quality (P = 0.14). In women, higher perceived access (lower PAHF score) was associated with higher dietary quality (β = -0.177; 95% CI: -0268, -0.086 P = < 0.001) adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). This association remained after further adjustment for poverty-income ratio, marital status, and length of residence (β = -0.150; 95% CI: -0.256, -0.052; P = 0.003).

Conclusions: Greater perceived access to healthy food was associated with higher diet quality among Puerto Rican women, but not men. Further research is needed to determine the aspects of perceived access that impact food choice and overall dietary quality.

Funding Sources: National Institutes of Health (NIH)