Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Describe dietary practices recommended in the Dietary Guidelines and the association with sociodemographic factors and lifestyle habits in users of the nutrition service at a Basic Health Unit in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul in 2022. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with individuals aged ≥20 years who received nutritional care. The questionnaire used included a scale validated for the Brazilian population, which considers three domains of food consumption: domestic planning and organization, food choice and eating habits. Practices with a frequency of 60% or more were considered appropriate to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines. RESULTS: Among the 162 interviewees, only the eating practices related to the domain of eating habits were adequate. The mean adequacy score was 39.0 points with a standard deviation of 5.4 points and a median of 39.0 points. The mean adequacy score was statistically higher among respondents who declared themselves to be race/skin color brown/black, who had 40.4 points with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI 39.1; 41.7) and among those active in their free time, who had 40.4 points (95%CI 39.0; 41.8), after adjustments for demographic and socioeconomic variables. CONCLUSION: The adequacy score values were higher in brown/black individuals and those who practiced some kind of physical activity during leisure time. Practices related to the domains of planning and food choices should be prioritized in nutritional counseling.