Dietary and Lifestyle Patterns in the Spanish Pediatric Population (One to

Casandra Madrigal,Ángel Gil,Gregorio Varela-Moreiras,Ángela Hernández-Ruiz,María José Soto-Méndez,Emilio Martínez De Victoria,Rosaura Leis,Rosa M Ortega,Emma Ruiz,Teresa Valero,Federico Lara-Villoslada,María Dolores Ruiz-López,Jose Manuel Moreno,José Manuel Ávila

doi:10.3390/nu11123050

Abstract

The interest in a healthy diet and lifestyle during the early stages of life increased, pointing out its role in the development of noncommunicable chronic diseases throughout adult life. Dietary habits and dietary patterns begin to be established in early childhood and persist during adulthood. Therefore, the EsNuPI (“Nutritional Study in Spanish Pediatric Population”) study aims to depict the dietary patterns, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors in Spanish children aged from one to <10 years old. This prospective, cross-sectional, observational study recruited a total of 1514 children from Spanish cities with >50,000 inhabitants, stratified by Nielsen areas. Participants were involved in one face-to-face survey, followed by a telephone survey after at least one week. Information about dietary intake and habits was obtained using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire and two 24-h dietary recalls. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were registered using a specific questionnaire based on a seven-day record. Data were processed and stratified by categorical variables to be statistically analyzed in order to meet the study objectives. This study is the first of its kind in a Spanish reference population of this age range and the first to evaluate whether the consumption of adapted milk formulas and dairy products is associated with healthier dietary patterns and better diet quality and lifestyles in this group.

Highlights

The interest in a healthy diet and lifestyle during the early stages of a child’s life increased, pointing out its role in the development of noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) throughout life [1]
This study suggests that the protective effect of dairy products on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) could be related to the association between their consumption and specific lifestyle behaviors [15]
The multi-approach proposed methodologies described in this paper aim for the first time to evaluate the food habits, dietary patterns, and nutrient intake, as well as physical activity and sedentary behaviors, of Spanish children

Summary

Introduction

The interest in a healthy diet and lifestyle during the early stages of a child’s life increased, pointing out its role in the development of noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) throughout life [1]. In addition to favoring optimal growth and development, feeding constitutes a means for the acquisition of healthy eating habits, which have an impact on nutritional behavior in the short, medium, and long term. Dietary habits and dietary patterns begin to be established in early childhood, are consolidated before the end of the first decade of life and persist during adulthood [2]. Technological advances and environmental and social changes that took place in recent years changed lifestyles and dietary patterns, conditioning the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and NCCDs such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Objectives

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Discussion

Conclusion