Dietary Quality Maintained among Overweight Brazilian Women Enrolled in a Primary Healthcare Service

The present study aimed to evaluate the dietary quality maintained among 113 overweight [body mass index (bmi) =25.0 kg/m2] women aged =20 years,who were enrolled in a brazilian primary healthcare servicein 2009. dietary quality was evaluated using the healthy eating index (hei)-1995,which was adapted in the brazilian context. statistical analysis included linear regression adjusted by self-reporting energy intake. the prevalence of obesity (bmi =30.0 kg/m2),elevated waist-circumference,and excessive body-fat were 85.8%,98.2%,and 100% respectively. data on dietary quality indicated an hei score of 66.6 (11.3),with low mean scores for 'milk and dairy products' (2.6) and 'vegetables' (3.1). the calcium (ß=0.40) and vitamin c (ß=0.27) intake was positively associated with the hei score. fat (ß=-0.38) and sodium (ß=-0.21) intake and protein adequacy (ß=-18.17) were inversely associated with the dietary quality. we found that the dietary quality in this study population needs improvement,demonstrating the importance of nutritional counselling within the primary healthcare service.