Socioeconomic and cultural disparities in diet among adolescents and young adults: a systematic review

Objective: To explore dietary differences according to socio-economic andsociocultural characteristics of adolescents and young adults.Design: A systematic review was conducted.Setting: The main search source was MEDLINE, consulted between January 2012and March 2017. Quality of selected studies was assessed based on dietarymeasurement method, sample selection, socio-economic indicator choice andstatistical modelling.Participants: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, assessing relationshipsbetween socio-economic status and dietary intake (patterns, scores and foodgroups) in the 10- to 40-year-old general population of high-income countries,were selected.Results: Among the 7250 reports identified, forty were selected, seventeen of whichwere of high quality; their conclusions, related only to adolescents, were combinedand presented. The most favourable dietary patterns, higher dietary scores, greaterconsumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, and lower consumption ofsugary sweetened beverages and energy-dense foods, were associated with betterparental socio-economic status, particularly in terms of higher education. Migrantstatus was associated with plant-based patterns, greater consumption of fruits andvegetables and of sugary sweetened beverages and energy-dense foods. For theother food groups, and for young adults, very few high-quality studies were found.Conclusions: The socio-economic gradient in adolescent diets requires confirmationby higher-grade studies of a wider set of food groups and must be extended toyoung adult populations. Future nutritional interventions should involve the mostvulnerable adolescent populations, taking account of socio-economic status andmigration.