Food consumption, anthropometry and body composition of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the consumption of risk and protective foods for chronic noncommunicable diseases and to investigate associations with anthropometric parameters and body composition in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Methods A case-series study was conducted with 79 adult and elderly patients of both genders in outpatient care. Food intake was evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire for the identification of foods with greater daily consumption, stratified by gender. The consumption frequency of each food was converted into scores of two food groups characteristics: risk and protection. The conceptual model took into account sociodemographic, behavioral and anthropometric variables as well as body composition. Results A total of 72.1% of the participants in the sample had excess weight based on the body mass index and 43.5% had excess body fat. The consumption of protective foods was greater among individuals with a higher body mass index and with a greater rate of body fat. Conclusion The data indicate a situation of reverse causality and reveal the complexity of the relationship among food intake, body fat and chronic noncommunicable diseases.