Association between Rural Chilean Population and Dietary Patterns Rural Chilean Population and Dietary Patterns. A Cross-Sectional Study of theChilean National Health Survey 2016-2017

Introduction: This study aimed to associate the rural and urban populations of Chile with dietary patterns, in addition to determining adherence to the recommendations of the dietary guidelines. Methods: This secondary analysis study utilized the database from the Chilean National Health Survey (ENS 2016-2017), analyzing sociodemographic data, dietary patterns, and anthropometric measurements from both rural and urban populations. Results: A total of 5,269 subjects participated, of whom 16.1% belonged to the rural population. A significant correlation was found between area of residence and the consumption of alcohol (p< 0.001) and sugary drinks (p< 0.001); individuals living in rural areas consumed less alcohol and sugary drinks. It was observed that those living in rural areas consumed less oats and whole grains, fruits, fish, and vegetables. With respect to legumes (p< 0.05), rural residents had a higher consumption than their urban counterparts. Finally, in model 3 (best fit), associations were found between rural residence and water consumption [OR: 1.27 (1.07–1.50)], oats and whole grains [OR: 0.51 (0.24–0.95)], pulses [OR: 1.26 (1.07–1.49)], and alcohol [OR: 1.65 (1.40–1.94)]. Discussion: The findings underscore significant rural–urban disparities in dietary patterns, reflecting both cultural practices and structural barriers that influence food access. While higher legume consumption in rural areas may represent a protective factor, the reduced intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains suggests nutritional vulnerabilities. These results are consistent with previous evidence from Latin America highlighting social and geographic inequalities in diet. Study limitations include the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported dietary data. Conclusion: A lower consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish, whole grains, alcohol, and sugary beverages is observed in the rural population; on the contrary, a higher consumption of legumes is observed, and the recommendations of the Chilean dietary guidelines are not met.