[Dietary intake and macrovascular disease in a Japanese-Brazilian population: a cross-sectional study].

OBJECTIVE To describe the food intake of Japanese-Brazilians with and without macrovascular disease (MVD). METHODS MVD was defined, for 1,165 Japanese-Brazilians, by scores attributed to the health historical, electrocardiogram and ankle-brachial index values. The usual dietary intake was determined using a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS The MVD prevalence was of 3.2%, being similar among genders. Statistically higher frequencies of individuals with MVD were observed among those of first generation, with age > 60 years, tobacco user, with hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes. Subjects with MVD were older, with smaller hip circumference, and higher systolic blood pressure levels, triglycerides and glycemia concentration; they informed higher consumption of iron source food and smaller of grains fibers. Statistically significant difference was found to saturated fat (crude analysis: second tercile versus first tercile). CONCLUSIONS Programs of nutritional education should be stimulated in this group with high prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases.