Polyphenols in Urine and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Reveals Gender Differences in Spanish Adolescents from the SI! Program.

Emily P Laveriano-Santos,Juan M Fernández-Alvira,Isabella Parilli-Moser,Ramón Estruch,Amaya De Cos-Gandoy,Anna Tresserra-Rimbau,Mercedes De Miguel,Ana María Ruiz-León,Gloria Santos-Beneit,Patricia Bodega,Carolina E Storniolo,Sonia L Ramírez-Garza,Rosa M Lamuela-Raventós,Rodrigo Fernández-Jiménez,Valentín Fuster,Vanesa Carral

doi:10.3390/antiox9100910

Abstract

(1) Background: Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between polyphenol intake and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in adults, but few have provided information about adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between urinary total polyphenol excretion (TPE) and CVRFs in adolescents. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 1194 Spanish adolescents from the SI! (Salud Integral) program. TPE in urine samples was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, after solid-phase extraction, and categorized into quartiles. The association between TPE and CVRFs was estimated using mixed-effect linear regression and a structural equation model (SEM). (3) Results: Linear regression showed negative associations among the highest quartile of TPE and body fat percentage (B = −1.75, p-value = <0.001), triglycerides (TG) (B = −17.68, p-value = <0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (B = −8.66, p-value = 0.002), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (LDL-C) (B = −4.09, p-value = 0.008) in boys, after adjusting for all confounder variables. Negative associations between TPE quartiles and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and TC were also found in girls. Moreover, a structural equation model revealed that TPE was directly associated with body composition and blood glucose and indirectly associated with blood pressure, TG, LDL-C, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in boys. (4) Conclusions: Higher concentrations of TPE were associated with a better profile of cardiovascular health, especially in boys, while in girls, the association was not as strong.

Highlights

The clinical burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mainly occurs in adulthood, the process of developing CVD begins early in life and progresses throughout the lifespan
The results indicated that boys with the highest total polyphenol excretion (TPE) had a better cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) profile, but this did not apply to girls
Indirect and negative associations were found among TPE with Blood pressure (BP) (B = −0.001, p-value = 0.003, 95% CI = −0; −0), TG (B = −0.03, p-value = 0.009, 95% CI = −0.05; −0.01), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-C ((B = −0.02, p-value = 0.013, 95% CI = −0.03; −0)

Summary

Introduction

The clinical burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mainly occurs in adulthood, the process of developing CVD begins early in life and progresses throughout the lifespan. The principal cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) are obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, which are normally related to modifiable lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, smoking, and excessive alcohol intake [1]. The high prevalence of obesity in the current adolescent population is associated with unhealthy habits, such as an inadequate diet and physical inactivity. This is of particular concern because the excess weight in childhood and adolescence is directly associated with hypertension, an adverse lipid profile, type II diabetes, and early atherosclerotic lesions, which can increase the risk of developing CVD during adulthood [2]. The beneficial health effects of polyphenols depend on intake and bioavailability, which varies from one molecule to another, and among individuals [8]

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