Nutritional quality of major meals consumed away from home in Brazil and its association with the overall diet quality

•The nutritional quality of meals consumed at home and away from home.•Association between dietary quality and meal consumed away from home.•Low fruit consumption at home and away from home.

ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to evaluate the nutritional quality of meals consumed away from home and its association with overall diet quality.MethodData was obtained from 834 participants of a Health Survey in São Paulo, Brazil. Food intake was measured by a 24-hour dietary recall applied telephonically using the Automated Multiple-Pass Method. Overall dietary quality was assessed by the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (B-HEIR) and the Meal Quality Index (MQI) was used to evaluate dietary quality of the main meals. The association between the B-HEIR and the MQI was assessed by linear regression analysis.ResultsThe consumption of at least one of the three main meals away from home was reported for 32% of respondents (70 adolescents, 156 adults and 40 elderly). The average MQI score of lunch consumed away from home was lower than lunch consumed at home, with higher amounts of total and saturated fats. The average score of B-HEIR was 58 points and was associated with the MQI score, energy, meal consumption location and gender.ConclusionLunch consumed away from home presented the worst quality, being higher in total and saturated fat. However, the meals consumed at home also need improvement.