A Nationally Representative Analysis of Trends in Socioeconomic Inequities in Diet Quality Between 2004 and 2015 Among Adults Living in Canada

Abstract

Diet quality is a key determinant of chronic disease and shares a similar socioeconomic patterning. Inequities in diet quality are stable or widening in the US, however these trends have not been examined in other nations. Moreover, prior US studies only examined differences in diet quality between the most and least disadvantaged groups in absolute terms. Quantifying trends in relative terms and along the full socioeconomic gradient according to multiple indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) can provide a more comprehensive perspective to inform optimal points of intervention. The purpose of this study was to quantify nationally representative trends in absolute and relative gaps and gradients in diet quality between 2004 and 2015 according to three indicators of SEP among adults living in Canada.