Association of Consumption of Different Pasta Food Categories with Diet Quality and Select Nutrient Intakes in Adults (19+ years) from NHANES, 2009–2012
Authors: Fulgoni Victor L , Bailey Regan 
Published: November 2023

Pasta represents a complex group of foods almost ubiquitously consumed in the American diet in both healthy and less healthy ways. The purpose of this analysis was to examine pasta consumption relative to overall diet quality [as measured by the Healthy Eating Index‐2010 (HEI)] as well as nutrients of public health concern (dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D) among adults using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2009–2012 (n=10,697). USDA food categories were utilized to separate pasta consumers from non‐consumers from dietary data reported through a 24‐hour dietary recall: (a) 4004: Pasta, noodles and cooked grains (excluding non‐pasta grains) (PN); b) 3204: Pasta mixed dishes, excludes macaroni and cheese (PMD); and c) 3206: Macaroni and cheese (MC). Regression models employed the survey design features and sampling weights and were adjusted for relevant covariates (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity, poverty income ratio, physical activity level, current smoking status, alcohol, and energy intake, when appropriate); significance was set at p<0.05. When pasta consumers as a group were compared to non‐consumers, no differences in overall diet quality were observed (HEI mean ± SE: 50.0 ± 0.6 v 51.0 ± 0.3, p=0.09); however among females, pasta consumers had significantly lower HEI scores (50.3 ± 0.9 v 52.4 ± 0.3. p=0.01). When the pasta groups were examined separately, consumers of PN had a higher total HEI score (53.6 ± 1.4 v 50.7 ± 0.3, p=0.0385) than non‐consumers; no gender differences were observed. When genders were combined, no overall differences in HEI were observed by PMD, but a small but significant reduction in females was observed (50.0 ± 0.9 v 52.3 ± 0.3, p=0.02). Consumers of MC had a significantly lower HEI (46.9 ± 1.0 v 51.0 ± 0.3, p=0.0003) driven primarily by differences in females (47.9 ± 0.3 v 52.3 ± 0.4, p=0.001). Dietary fiber was higher among all pasta consumers than non‐consumers, (19.2 ± 0.3 vs. 17.3 ± 0.2 g/d, p<0.0001). Similarly, PN (19.8 ± 0.9 vs. 17.5 ± 0.2 g/d, p=0.0132) and PMD (19.7 ± 0.4 vs. 17.3 ± 0.2 g/d, p<0.0001) consumers had higher fiber intakes than non‐consumers of these groups, respectively. Relatively few differences in intakes of calcium, potassium, and vitamin D were observed for overall pasta consumption. Potassium intake was significantly higher (2920 ± 65 mg/d vs. 2771 ± 18, p=0.02) and intake of vitamin D was significantly lower (4.3 ± 0.2 vs. 5.0 ± 0.1 μg/d, p=0.0079) when PN consumers were compared to non‐consumers. In conclusion, better diet quality was only associated with consumption of “Pasta, noodles and cooked grains (with a few exclusions for cooked grains)”; most of the changes in HEI scores resulted from associated lower consumption of solid fats, added sugars, and alcohol calories. Fiber intakes of pasta consumers, regardless of food groupings, were significantly higher. Given that daily fiber intakes in US adults are consistently below recommendations, strategies to increase fiber intake are warranted. Strategies to increase consumption of pasta with vegetables might help to further maximize fiber intakes, improve micronutrient intake, as well as diet quality in the US.

Support or Funding Information

Funding provided by Barilla America, Inc.