Associations between dietary intake and physical activity, as behavioral indicators, with body fat in adolescents from Mexico.

Introduction: Introduction: the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases is currently a priority due to its relationship with COVID-19 complications. Unhealthy lifestyles, like inadequate diet and physical inactivity, are the cornerstone for obesity and cardiometabolic risk. Objective: to examine the association between diet and physical activity with body fat in Mexican adolescents. Methods: the study was cross-sectional. Data included socio-demographic variables, health history and smoking habit obtained through questionnaires; blood pressure and anthropometry measurements; food and nutrient intake through 24-hour recalls; and physical activities through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Univariate analyses were used and multiple models were built by stepwise forward selection (p ≤ 0.05 and biological plausibility). Results: participants were n = 230 students, 18.5 ± 0.4 years and 54.8 % men. Three models associated with body fat were obtained. In the first model, saturated fatty acids (ß = 0.30, p = 0.028) were significant positive associated, while vigorous physical activity was significant negative associated as a protective factor (ß = -0.007, p = 0.023). In the second model, total fat (ß = 0.17, p = 0.005) was significant positive associated, and vigorous physical activity was significant negative associated (ß = -0.007, p = 0.023). The third model included fruits and vegetables (ß = -5.49, p = 0.092) and vigorous physical activity (ß = -0.006, p = 0.058) as protective factors. Conclusions: dietary intake of total fat and saturated fatty acids, and vigorous physical activity, were significantly associated with body fat, while fruits and vegetables trended toward significance, in Mexican adolescents. Community-based programs that promote intake of protective foods and reduction of risky foods, and encourage vigorous physical activity, are needed in adolescents.

Introducción: Introducción: la prevención de enfermedades cardiometabólicas es actualmente una prioridad por su relación con las complicaciones de la COVID-19. Los estilos de vida poco saludables son la piedra angular de la obesidad y el riesgo cardiometabólico. Objetivo: examinar la asociación entre dieta y actividad física con la grasa corporal en adolescentes mexicanos. Métodos: el estudio fue transversal. Los datos incluyeron variables sociodemográficas; mediciones de presión arterial y antropometría; ingesta de alimentos y nutrimentos con recordatorios de 24 horas; y actividades físicas con el cuestionario internacional de actividad física (IPAQ). Se utilizo análisis univariado y los modelos múltiples se construyeron mediante selección paso a paso hacia adelante (p ≤ 0.05 y plausibilidad biológica). Resultados: participaron n = 230 estudiantes, 18,5 ± 0,4 años y 54,8 % hombres. Se obtuvieron tres modelos asociados a la grasa corporal. En el primero, los ácidos grasos saturados (ß = 0,30, p = 0,028) se asociaron significativamente de forma positiva, y la actividad física vigorosa significativamente de forma negativa como factor protector (ß = -0,007, p = 0,023). En el segundo, la grasa total (ß = 0,17, p = 0,005) se asoció positivamente y la actividad física vigorosa, negativamente (ß = -0,007, p = 0,023). El tercer modelo incluyó frutas y verduras (ß = -5,49, p = 0,092) y actividad física vigorosa (ß = -0,006, p = 0,058) como factores protectores. Conclusiones: la ingesta dietética de grasas totales y saturadas y la actividad física vigorosa se asociaron significativamente con la grasa corporal, mientras que las frutas y verduras tendieron a ser significativas. Se necesitan programas comunitarios que promuevan la ingesta de alimentos protectores y la reducción de alimentos de riesgo, y fomenten la actividad física vigorosa en adolescentes.

Low prevalence of ideal levels in cardiovascular behavior metrics among Mexican adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle changes when transitioning from high-school to college expose students to unhealthy behaviors associated with high cardiovascular risk. The study aimed to assess the cardiovascular behavior metrics according to the AHA criteria, in freshman college adolescents from Northwest Mexico. METHODS: The study was cross-sectional. Demographics and health history were collected by questionnaires. Four behaviors were evaluated: diet quality using a duplicated FFQ, physical activity (PA) using the IPAQ, smoking, and body mass index (BMI) percentile; blood pressure was measured as a biological metric. Intakes were averaged and summed for each food group; sodium and saturated fat were calculated using the Mexican System of Food Equivalents or the USDA Database. Metrics were categorized into ideal, intermediate or poor level according to the AHA criteria. Diet outliers (± 3 SD) were trimmed and data was tested for normality. Mean±SD were calculated for continuous and percentages for categorical variables. Chi-square test compared the prevalence of demographic variables and levels of each cardiovascular metric by sex. Independent T-test evaluated differences in anthropometrics, dietary, and PA by sex, and the prevalence of ideal vs. non-ideal dietary intakes. RESULTS: Participants were n = 228, 55.6% men, age = 18.5±0.4 y. A higher prevalence of men indicated working, playing sports, and family history hypertriglyceridemia (p < 0.05). Men showed higher weight, height, BMI, waist, blood pressure, and lower PA and body fat (p < 0.05). Concerning diet quality, significant differences by sex were observed in nuts and seeds (1.1±0.6 and 0.9±0.6 oz/week, p = 0.042) and processed meats (749.8±639 and 503.6±300.3 g/week, p = 0.002); only fish and shellfish group reached AHA recommendations (513.1 ± 450.7 vs. 501.7 ± 428 g/week, p = 0.671) for men and women, respectively. Ideal level was reached by 70.9% participants for BMI percentile, 87% for smoking, 67.2% for blood pressure, 25.9% for PA, and 12.2% for diet score. Regarding food groups and nutrients, the lower prevalence in the ideal level was for sugar-sweetened beverages (10%, p = 0.013) and processed meats (4.8%, p = 0.208), and the highest for fish and shellfish (87.8%, p = 0.281) . CONCLUSIONS: The diet and PA patterns of Northwest Mexican freshman adolescents make them a high-risk group for developing long-term unhealthy habits and cardiovascular complications early in adulthood.