[Association of dietary approach to stop hypertension [DASH] diet with 3-year changes in body mass index and risk of obesity in adolescents: Tehran lipid and glucose study]

Introduction: Considering the incrediblly high incidence of obesity in adolescents, in this study, we have examined the association of DASH diet with 3-year body mass index change and risk of obesity in Tehranian adolescents

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Materials and Method: This population based cohort study included 629 adolescents [aged 10 to 18 years] from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study [TLGS]. Dietary data were collected using a valid and reliable food-frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric measures were assessed both at baseline and end of follow up. In adolescents, obesity was defined as body mass index 2 95th percentile for age and sex according to national reference curves

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Results: Mean +/- SD for age and DASH score at baseline were 14.1 +/- 2.5 years and 24.1 +/- 4.2, respectively. Also, the mean +/- SD of body mass index gain and risk of incident obesity was 1.7 +/- 2.6 kg/m2 and 12% after 3 years follow up, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, higher DASH diet score and lower dietary intakes of sweet beverage were inversely associated with 3-year changes in body mass index [P<0.05]. The odds ratio [95%CI] of developing obesity in the highest, compared with the lowest, quintile of DASH score was 0.2 [0.1-0.7] [P for trend=0.025]. Also, the lower intake of sweet beverage was significantly associated with reducing the risk of incident obesity [OR: 0.2; 95%CI: 0.1-0.6] [P for trend=0.003]

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Conclusion: A DASH- style dietary pattern is associated inversely with 3-year body mass index changes and risk of incident obesity in adolescents