Changes in (poly)phenols intake and metabolic syndrome risk over ten years from adolescence to adulthood.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: (Poly)phenols might contribute to prevent cardiovascular disease, but limited prospective studies exist among adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate within-subject longitudinal changes in (poly)phenols intakes and food group contributors while also exploring the association with metabolic syndrome risk (MetS) during 10 years of follow up in European adolescents becoming young adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 164 participants (58% girls, 13-18 y at baseline) from Ghent, Zaragoza and Lille, longitudinal data (2006-2016) on (poly)phenol intake was retrieved via 2 or 3 24 h recalls. Linear and logistic longitudinal regression tested the association of (poly)phenols intake (total and classes) with Mets risk or its components (waist-height-ratio, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and insulin resistance index), adjusted for age, sex, country and other nutrient intakes. The total (poly)phenols intake was 421 ± 107 mg/day (192 mg/1000 kcal/day) at baseline, while 610 ± 101 mg/day (311 mg/1000 kcal/day) at follow-up. The three major food sources for (poly)phenols were 'chocolate', 'fruit and vegetable juices', 'cakes and biscuits' during adolescence and 'coffee', 'tea' and 'chocolate' during adulthood. Phenolic acid intake was associated with less LDL increase over time, while stilbene intake with a steeper increase in triglycerides over time. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in major (poly)phenols contributors over time were partially explained by age-specific dietary changes like increased coffee and tea during adulthood. Some significant (poly)phenols-MetS associations might argue for nutrition-based disease prevention during adolescence, especially since adolescents had low (poly)phenols intake.

Dietary sugars, metabolic effects and child health.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe current findings on sugar intake in children worldwide, including sugar sources and their impact on child health focusing on cardiometabolic alterations usually associated to obesity. RECENT FINDINGS: In children less than 4 years, intakes of added sugars across countries ranged from 9.8 to 11.2% of total energy; in children 4-10 years, it ranged from less than 3-18%; and in adolescents, it ranged from 13.6 to 16.6%. For most countries, intakes of added sugars were greater than the recommended upper limit of 10% of total energy for children and adolescents and less or around 10% in infants. In most studies, soft drinks and fruit-based drinks accounted for the greatest proportion of the added sugars intake, followed by milk products and sweet bakery products. High added sugar intake has been associated with increased obesity risk and fat deposition in the liver, contributing to dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and cardio-metabolic risk. SUMMARY: As a high added sugar intake is associated with cardio-metabolic conditions in children and adolescents, the current scenario supports the need for stronger targeted long-term policies that prevent the excessive sugar intake in young populations.

Food and drink intake during television viewing in adolescents: the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare food consumption during television (TV) viewing among adolescents who watched >2 h/d v. ≤2 h/d; and to examine the association between sociodemographic variables (age, gender and socio-economic status (SES)) and the consumption of energy-dense foods and drinks during TV viewing. DESIGN: The data are part of the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) cross-sectional survey. Data on time watching TV, types of foods and drinks consuming during TV viewing and parental SES (parental education, parental occupation and family affluence) were measured by questionnaires completed by adolescents. Binary logistic regression tested the association between energy-dense foods and drinks and (i) sociodemographic variables and (ii) TV time. SETTING: Ghent (Belgium), Heraklion (Greece), Pecs (Hungary) and Zaragoza (Spain). SUBJECTS: Girls (n 699) and boys (n 637) aged 12·5-17·5 years. RESULTS: Boys reported more frequent consumption of beer and soft drinks whereas girls selected more fruit juice, water, herbal infusions and sweets (all P ≤ 0·05). Watching TV for >2 h/d was associated with the consumption of energy-dense foods and drinks. Girls whose mothers achieved the lowest education level had an adjusted OR of 3·22 (95 % CI 1·81, 5·72) for the consumption of energy-dense drinks during TV viewing v. those whose mothers had the highest educational level. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive TV watching may favour concurrent consumption of energy-dense snacks and beverages. Adolescents from low-SES families are more likely to consume unhealthy drinks while watching TV.

Independent and combined effect of nutrition and exercise on bone mass development.

Food intake provides the necessary components for adequate metabolic functions in bone. Calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, magnesium, proteins, and fluoride are some of the most important nutrients in this regard. These have different effects on bone mass. Additionally, exercise has been shown to elicit osteogenic responses in bone development; indeed, it seems to potentiate, for example, the effect of calcium supplementation on bone mass. However, the nutrition-exercise-bone mass relationship is complex and needs further in-depth investigation. As a first step, therefore, we reviewed current knowledge about the role of nutrition on the development of bone tissue and how physical activity affects the nutrient-bone relationship.

Physical fitness effect on bone mass is mediated by the independent association between lean mass and bone mass through adolescence: a cross-sectional study.

We studied 278 adolescents (169 females) aged 13.0-18.5 years to elucidate whether an independent effect of physical fitness and lean mass in the differences between male and female bones can be detected. Lean and fat masses and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured with DXA. Physical fitness was evaluated with six different tests included in the EUROFIT test battery (flexibility, isometric, dynamic and endurance strength, speed, and cardiovascular fitness). To test the independent relationship between physical fitness and bone mass, multiple regression analysis was applied, including lean mass, age, and Tanner development as covariates. The males had a 43% lower fat mass and 40% and 16% higher lean mass and total BMC compared with the females (all P < 0.05). After adjustment for differences in body size and lean mass, the females exhibited a 7.4% higher BMC than the males (P < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis showed that lean mass had an independent relationship with bone mass (P < 0.001), explaining 67% of the total variance in whole-body BMC. In males, change in R (2) was 0.658 for hand grip and 0.035-0.151 for the rest of physical fitness-related variables; but 0.019-0.042 in females (all P-0.001); however, the independent relationships between physical fitness and bone disappeared after controlling for lean mass. In conclusion, it is likely the differences between male and female in bone mass could be explained by differences in lean mass and physical fitness.

Harmonization of anthropometric measurements for a multicenter nutrition survey in Spanish adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Although the need for accurate anthropometric measurement has been repeatedly stressed, reports on growth and physical measurements in human populations rarely include estimates of measurement error. We describe the standardization process and reliability of anthropometric measurements carried out in a pilot study. METHODS: For the intraobserver assessment of anthropometric measurements, we studied 101 adolescents (58 boys and 43 girls) from five cities. For interobserver assessment, we studied 10 adolescents from the same class in Zaragoza and different from those in the intraobserver sample. RESULTS: For skinfold thickness, intraobserver technical errors of measurement (TEMs) in general were smaller than 1 mm; for circumferences, TEMs in general were smaller than 1 cm. Intraobserver reliability for skinfold thickness was greater than 95% for almost all cases; for circumferences, intraobserver reliability generally was greater than 95%. Interobserver TEMs ranged from 1 to 2 mm for the six skinfold thicknesses measured; for circumferences, TEMs were smaller than 1 cm for the arm, biceps, and waist and between 1 and 2 cm for the hip and thigh. Interobserver reliabilities for skinfold thickness and circumference were always greater than 90%, except for biceps skinfold. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in agreement with those recommended in the literature. Therefore, these anthropometric measures seem to be adequate to assess body composition in a multicenter survey in adolescents.