Author(s)

R. M. Kapila Tharanga Rathnayaka, Zhong-Jun Wang

Department of Statistic, Science Collage, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China.

A diversity of socio economic and cultural factors contributes towards maintenance and changes in dietary patterns of people. Therefore People around the world have adapted different types of dietary patterns for their survival. Aim of this study was to investigate the most relevant factors influencing human dietary patterns. Sample for the study was selected by using the Stratified sampling technique, which consists of 390 families residing around the Abatenna estate, Bandarawela municipal council, Sri Lanka. Principal component analysis techniques and correlation analysis were employed to identify the most relevant factors which affect human dietary patterns. Results of the study indicate that socio economic conditions, monthly income, number of children in a family, dietary patterns and weight-related behaviors are highly co-related with each other. These findings suggest that education and awareness programs on nutrition should target low income groups to enhance their knowledge on dietary patterns.

Principal Component Analysis; Nutritional Level; Dietary Pattern; Weight-Related Behaviors

R. Rathnayaka and Z. Wang, "Influence of Family Status on the Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Levels of Children," Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 8, 2012, pp. 1055-1059. doi: 10.4236/fns.2012.38140.