Dietary intakes and diet quality of adults in the province of Québec according to socioeconomic status: a cross-sectional analysis from the NutriQuébec project

Although socioeconomic status is known to influence dietary intakes, effects are variable and population-specific. This cross-sectional study aimed to document dietary intakes and overall diet quality according to indicators of socioeconomic status in adults of the province of Québec, Canada. Dietary intake data from 24 h dietary recalls in 6334 adults recruited online as well as through community organizations in the NutriQuébec project were used. Overall diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019. Usual intake distributions and thresholds of vegetables and fruits (V&F), sodium, and sugary drinks were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. The sample was calibrated for sex, age, and area of residence. Overall, 36.1% (95% CI 34.2–38.1) of adults in Québec consumed ≥5 servings of V&F/day, 17.6% (95% CI 15.2–19.9) had sodium intakes ≤ 2300 mg/day and 32.1% (95% CI 22.9–41.3) consumed the equivalent of ≤1 serving of sugary drink/week. Individuals with lower household income, lower individual educational attainment, living in materially deprived areas and living in food insecure households had lower HEFI-2019 scores and lower usual intakes of V&F. Individuals with lower educational attainment and living in food insecure households had also higher daily intakes of sugary drinks. Sodium intake did not differ across socioeconomic groups. Overall, these data indicate that most individuals in the province of Québec do not meet current targets for healthy eating and that diet inequities remain a major public health challenge in Québec.