OBJECTIVE
To examine and characterize the dietary patterns of Chinese adults in nine provinces.
METHODS
The subjects were selected from the 'China Health and Nutrition Survey' within age group of 18 - 70 years old in 2009. 24-hour dietary recall method for 3 consecutive days was used to collect information on food intake.
RESULTS
Major dietary patterns of Chinese adults in nine provinces were labeled "rice/pork" in both men and women while "fruit/egg", "beef, mutton/poultry"and "ethnic food/legumes" in men and "fruit/milk", "tubers/grains" in women. Urban or rural life style and related characteristics of the population showed an influence on the dietary pattern (men: β = -0.153 24, -0.153 24, 0.376 62, 0.148 10, P < 0.01; women: β = -0.139 43, 0.222 00, -0.308 36, P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION
The dietary patterns of Chinese adults varied by sex and "Rice/Pork" had been the typical dietary pattern among the Chinese adults.