Browsing by Author "Henderson, Phillipa"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring dietary patterns of a vegan population living in Auckland, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Henderson, Phillipa
    Background: The vegan diet is increasing in popularity in New Zealand, however the current literature regarding dietary intake in NZ vegan populations is limited. Overseas studies in vegan populations have focused mostly on nutrient adequacy rather than broader dietary patterns. Dietary patterns can be used to measure diet quality as they look at the whole diet rather than single aspects. Given the diversity within vegan dietary practices, an increasing number of people choosing veganism and the growing market of ultra-processed vegan foods, this study seeks to fill a critical gap by examining the dietary patterns of vegans living in Auckland, New Zealand. Aim: To identify and analyse dietary patterns among vegans living in Auckland, New Zealand, and explore associations with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Methods: This study recruited participants as part of the larger Vegan Health Research Program at Massey University. Inclusion criteria were at least 2 years following the vegan diet, not pregnant or breastfeeding and living in Auckland, New Zealand. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) including 196 vegan foods, which were grouped into 34 food groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify common dietary patterns, and associations with socio demographics such as ‘age, gender, education, alcohol consumption and physical activity score’ were examined. Results: Participants (n=212) were 71% female with a mean age of 39.4 (12.2) years. Participants were mostly European (85%) and most had an education level of undergraduate or higher (68.2%). Four patterns emerged from principal component analysis explaining 35.3% of the variation in the diet; Health-Conscious, Convenience, Western and Traditional. The Health-Conscious pattern was positively associated with higher alcohol consumption (p= 0.005) and a higher physical activity score (p=<0.001). The Convenience pattern had a positive association with lower alcohol intake (p= 0.015). The Western pattern was positively associated with being female, having a higher physical activity score (p= 0.009), higher alcohol consumption (p=<0.001) and participants having less than a bachelor's degree of education (p= 0.027). The Traditional pattern was positively associated with older age and lower alcohol consumption (p=<0.001). Conclusion: These results indicate that vegans following a Health-Conscious dietary pattern tend to consume more alcohol but engage in higher levels of physical activity. Those following a Western dietary pattern are also more likely to drink more alcohol and be more physically active but also have lower educational attainment. Those following the Convenience pattern are less likely to consume alcohol and similarly, the Traditional dietary pattern is associated with lower alcohol consumption and older vegans are more likely to follow this pattern.