Dietary Intake In Adolescents Research Articles

Family meal patterns: Associations with sociodemographic characteristics and improved dietary intake among adolescents*1

Objective To examine family meal patterns and associations with sociodemographic characteristics and dietary intake in adolescents. Design A population-based cross-sectional study design was employed. Adolescents completed the Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) survey and the Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire within their schools. Subjects/setting The study population included 4,746 middle and high school students from Minneapolis/St. Paul public schools with diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Statistical analyses Associations were examined using cross tabulations, log-linear modeling, and linear regressions. Results There was a wide distribution in the frequency of family meals during the previous week: never (14.0%), 1 or 2 times (19.1%), 3 to 6 times (40.1%), and 7 or more times (24.8%). Sociodemographic characteristics associated with more frequent family meals included gender (boys), school level (middle school), race (Asian American), mother's employment status (not employed), and socioeconomic status (high). Frequency of family meals was positively associated with intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and calcium-rich foods and negatively associated with soft drink consumption. Positive associations were also seen between frequency of family meals and energy; protein (percentage of total calories); calcium; iron; folate; fiber; and vitamins A, C, E, and B-6. Conclusions Family meals appear to play an important role in promoting positive dietary intake among adolescents. Feasible ways to increase the frequency of family meals should be explored with adolescents and their families. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:317-322.

Adolescents: at increased risk for osteoporosis?

Perhaps the most important factor in the primary prevention of osteoporosis is the attainment of an optimal peak bone during adolescence. In addition to endogenous factors, such as genetic and ethnic background, environmental factors such as dietary habits, physical activity, and sex hormone therapy, influence the accretion of bone mass during this critical period of skeletal growth. First, calcium dietary intake in adolescents is generally well less than the current recommended RDA of 1200 mg/day. Multiple studies of children and adolescents have demonstrated increases in bone mass with dietary calcium supplementation. Second, regarding physical activity, the overall impression is that a moderate amount of particularly weight-bearing exercise has a positive impact on bone. There appears, however, to be a threshold of intensity of physical activity over which a negative impact on bone occurs, particularly when the exercise is of an anaerobic nature or occurring in very thin, amenorrheic participants. Third, previous research suggests that the various forms of hormonal contraception exert differing effects on bone mass in adolescents, with levonorgestrel implants and combined oral contraceptives may be associated with a more positive effect on bone mass compared with that observed with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. From a clinical perspective, approaches to optimizing peak bone mass in adolescents would include increasing calcium intake, whether in the form of dairy products, fortified foods, or supplements as well as encouraging participation at a moderate level, in weight-bearing exercise. Last, in adolescents with extensive risk factors and predicted long duration of use, subdermal implants or combined oral contraceptives may be the optimal hormonal methods of birth control.

Bone mineral status in adolescent girls: effects of eating disorders and exercise

Purpose: To compare whole-body, lumbar, total spine, and pelvis bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index (BMI), body composition, energy expenditure for physical activity, and dietary intake of adolescents, aged 16–22 years. Methods: Three study groups included 25 girls with histories of eating disorders, 25 girls with no histories of eating disorders who exercised ≤ 7 hours/week, and 15 girls with no history of eating disorders who exercised> 7 hours/week. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), body composition by bioelectric impedance and DEXA, energy expenditure by Personal Activity Computer, nutrient intake by 4-day dietary recalls/records, and BMI by measures of height/weight. General linear models, LSM ± SEM, Student’s t-tests, and correlation analyses were used to determine group differences. Results: No significant differences in whole-body, spinal, and pelvis BMD were found among the three groups. Mean body fat (percent) was significantly higher ( p = .0001) for the group with histories of eating disorders than other groups. Dietary intakes of adolescents with histories of eating disorders were significantly lower for energy ( p = .0001), fat ( p = .0001), calcium ( p = .0007), vitamin D ( p = .0180), and zinc ( p = .0057) than those without eating disorder histories who exercised ≤ 7 hours/week. Conclusion: Except for body fat (percent), measures of BMD, energy expenditure, and BMI were not significantly different among groups. Our data suggest that with full recovery from eating disorders, teenage girls can achieve normal bone mass and body composition.

Longitudinal relationships between lifestyle and cardiovascular and bone health status indicators in males and females between 13 and 27 years of age; a review of findings from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study.

The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study is longitudinal co-hort study on 181 males and females initially aged 13 years, with follow-up measurements at ages 14, 15, 16, 21 and 27 years. Anthropometrical, biological and lifestyle parameters, and age 27 also bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (L2-L4), were measured repeatedly. Adolescent dietary intake and physical activity was related to adult cardiovascular and bone health status indicators by MLR; longitudinal relationships between physical activity and dietary intake, and cardiovascular health status indicators were assessed hy GEE-analysis. Adolescent physical activity was not related to most of the indicators of adult cardiovascular health status, with the exception of a positive relationship with the waist-to-hip in females; in males 'energetic' adolescent physical activity contributed significantly to adult BMD; both in males and females, when taking the entire longitudinal period into account, peak strain physical activity was a relatively more important predictor of adult BMD than 'energetic' physical activity; calcium intake during adolescence was not a significant predictor of bone health status measured at age 27, both in males and females; a consistent significant positive longitudinal relationship was found between physical activity and serum HDL-cholesterol and significant negative longitudinal relationships were found with the subscapular skinfold and with body fat mass; a positive longitudinal relationship was found between serum total cholesterol (TC) and cholesterol intake, saturated fat (SFA) intake and the Keys-score; a negative longitudinal relationship was found between TC and polyunsaturated fit and total energy intake; for HDL a positive longitudinal relationship was found with SFA intake; low tracking was found for physical (in-) activity and dietary intake variables.

Effects of a Nutrition Education Program on Dietary Intakes, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin and Serum Transferrin Levels of Pregnant Adolescents

Adolescent pregnancy is a public health problem in the United States today. Anemia due to iron deficiency is a common nutritional problem among low income pregnant adolescents. The purpose of the present investigation is to evaluate the effects of a nutrition education program designed for EFNEP pregnant adolescents 14 to 19 years of age taught by paraprofessionals on dietary intake, hematocrit, hemoglobin and serum transferrin levels. Dietary intakes were assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall. Blood samples were analyzed for hematocrit, hemoglobin, and serum transferrin. Data was collected before and after participation in an eight week nutrition education program for pregnant adolescents and at a follow-up session at least one month after birth. The regular adult EFNEP program (n= 11) and a special program for pregnant adolescents (n= 16) were implemented. Analysis of variance in a completely randomized block design was used to analyze pre and post, and post and follow-up dietary, hematocrit and hemoglobin data by educational program. Results of the post food frequency questionnaire indicated a decrease in the number of daily servings from the “other” group. Hematocrit and hemoglobin data indicated values within the normal range during pregnancy with increased values after delivery. Baseline serum transferrin levels were within the normal range for both educational groups. Nutrition education for pregnant adolescents needs to stress the importance of iron in the diet (particularly the use of WIC foods rich in iron) during pregnancy.Funded by an American Dietetic Association/Kraft General Foods Fellowship and ES/WIC USDA Nutrition Education Initiative Grant.

Dietary intake of adolescents with Crohn's disease

The adolescent years are characterized by a dramatic increase in height and the development of secondary sexual characteristics. Severe impairment of linear growth, retarded skeletal maturation, and delayed sexual development occur in an estimated 5% to 10% of pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis and 25% of pediatric patients with Crohn's disease ( 1. Kelts DG Grand RJ Shen G Watkins JB Werlin SL Boehme C Nutritional basis of growth failure in children and adolescent with Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology. 1979; 76: 720-727 Google Scholar , 2. Kirschner BS Sutton MM Somatomedin C levels in growth impaired children and adolescents with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterology. 1986; 91: 830-836 Google Scholar , 3. Motil KJ Grand RJ Matthews DE Bier DM Maletskos CJ Young VR Whole body leucine metabolism in adolescents with Crohn's disease and growth failure during nutritional supplementation. Gastroenterology. 1982; 82: 1359-1368 Google Scholar , 4. Motil KJ Grand RJ Maletskos CJ Young VR The effect of disease, drug and diet on whole body protein metabolism in adolescents with Crohn's disease and growth failure. J Pediatr. 1982; 101: 345-351 Google Scholar , 5. Belli DC Seidman E Bouthillier L Weber AM Roy CC Pletinex M Beaulieu M Morin CL Chronic intermittent elemental diet improves growth failure in children with Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology. 1988; 94: 603-610 Google Scholar ). Although the pathogenesis is influenced by age at onset, duration of disease, disease activity, and medication, chronic undernutrition is considered a major cause of growth failure in children with Crohn's disease ( 6. Kleinman RE Balisteri WF Heyman MB Kirschner BS Lake AM Motil KJ Seidman E Udall JN Nutritional support for pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1989; 8: 8-12 Google Scholar , 7. Seidman E LeLeiko N Ament M Berman W Caplan D Evans J Kocoshis S Lake A Motil K Sutphen J Thomas D Nutritional issues in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1991; 12: 424-438 Google Scholar ). The nutritional basis of growth failure is thought to be multifactorial; some of the factors are decreased dietary intake, increased intestinal losses, and malabsorption.