Diet quality according to participation in a workplace nutrition assistance program

Abstract Public food policies reduce poverty and food insecurity; however, their impact on participants’ diet quality remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between participation in a workplace nutritional assistance policy and food quality. A combined stratified and two-stage cross-sectional survey compared random samples of workers from companies participating ( n = 480) and not participating ( n = 441) in the Brazilian Workers’ Food Program (WFP). Usual food consumption was assessed with 24-hour dietary recall and diet quality with the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). Mixed-effects regression analyses examined the association between DQI-I scores, including its categories and components, and WFP participation according to workers’ sex, and their interaction. WFP participation was associated with greater DQI-I score but only among women ( p = 0.007, men p = 0.56, interaction p = 0.001). Among DQI-I categories, WFP participants scored higher in Variety, both for the food groups and protein sources components. Adequacy showed higher scores among WFP participants ( p = 0.025) only in women. No association was observed between WFP participation and Moderation or Overall Balance, although lower consumption of saturated fat and sodium was found among women participants (interaction p = 0.022 and p = 0.013, respectively). Participation in a WFP was positively associated with higher diet quality scores as assessed by the DQI-I, mainly among women.