Vitamin/Mineral Status and Food-related Behaviors of Adolescents During a School-based Cardiovascular Intervention.

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To compare nutrient intake and food-related behaviors of male and female adolescents during cardiovascular intervention.The objective was to assess vitamin and mineral status following dietary intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk and to identify factors related to dietary intake of adolescents. Sixty-eight adolescents (40 females, mean age 14.3; 28 males, mean age 14.5) completed three-day food records at three points during the school year. The experimental design included control and treatment groups. Treatment group food records included factors such as place and preparer. Teens set goals to decrease fat or sodium or increase fiber intake. Treatment females, setting goals to decrease fat, significantly lowered grams of fat at both second (p=0.004) and third (p=0.008) assessments. Vitamin/mineral status was negatively affected when females lowered fat intake at the second but not third assessment. For females setting goals to change sodium or fiber intake, vitamin/mineral status was not affected by positive changes. At first assessment for both genders, mean intakes of vitamins, but not minerals, were above the RDA. Breakfast, lunch, and evening meals were eaten on a weekday by 97%, 82%, and 79% and on a weekend day by 91%, 79%, and 85% of teens, respectively, at first assessment. Weekday snacks were consumed by 85%; mean daily snacks consumed were 1.6 for males and 1.4 for females. School lunch participation decreased from 63% to 53% from first to third assessment. Monitoring all nutrients is important when making dietary changes to improve cardiovascular health. Understanding factors that affect food choices increase the likelihood of successful interventions.