A community-based cross-sectional study of dietary composition and associated factors among tuberculosis patients in China

Abstract To determine the dietary structure and its associated factors of tuberculosis (TB) patients in the community. This cross-sectional study analysed the dietary intake of 300 TB patients in two impoverished counties in China. Food intake was collected by using food frequency and two consecutive 24-h dietary review (24hdr) methods. The dietary composition and dietary structure of TB patients were compared with China’s 2022 Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs) and the average reference value of dietary composition (ARC) in China in 2013. Binary logistic regression models were used to explore the factors associated with inadequate intake of animal food, insufficient protein and fat energy supply in patients with TB. The daily intake of various foods in TB patients was measured and the results were as follows: staple foods—median 372.12 g (interquartile range [IQR] 315.87 g); vegetables—median 200.00 g (IQR 205.55 g); fruits—median 20.22 g (IQR 36.82 g); animal foods—median 100.82 g (IQR 180.74 g); dairy products—median 0.00 g (IQR 0.00 g); nuts—median 17.10 g (IQR 29.75 g). The average daily intakes of vegetables, fruits, animal food, dairy products, soy and nuts were lower than those recommended by the DRIs (P