ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Data on a nationally representative dietary intake in Central Europe is lacking. We investigated the diet of adolescents in Slovenia. METHODS: Dietary habits were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (n = 2,661), and present nutrition was assessed using a 3-day weighted dietary protocol (n = 197) for validation purposes. Dietary intake was calculated and compared with Central European [German (D), Austrian (A), and Swiss (CH); D-A-CH] recommendations and World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO) recommendations. RESULTS: Adolescents consumed exceeding reference intake values of free sugars (boys 16% of energy, girls 17%), saturated fatty acids (SFA; 13% of energy), and sodium (boys 203%, girls 210% of the WHO/FAO upper limit), but below-reference intake values of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; boys 5% of energy; girls 6%), water (boys 1,786 ml/day, girls 2,016 ml/day), and fiber density (only girls 2.8 g/MJ, p < 0.001). Among micronutrients, below-reference intakes (% of D-A-CH: boys and girls, respectively, p < 0.05) were reported for folate (64 and 69%), fluoride (28 and 31%), and calcium (91 and 97%), as well as for vitamin D (20 and 20%). CONCLUSIONS: The dietary habits of Slovenian adolescents are less than optimal. They are characterized by exceeding reference intake values of free sugars, salt, and SFA, and a below-reference intake of PUFA, water, and several micronutrients.
Subject(s)
Energy Intake , Feeding Behavior , Micronutrients/administration & dosage , Adolescent , Austria , Calcium, Dietary/administration & dosage , Carbohydrates/administration & dosage , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diet , Dietary Fiber/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/administration & dosage , Female , Fluorides/administration & dosage , Folic Acid/administration & dosage , Germany , Humans , Male , Nutrition Surveys , Nutritional Status , Reference Values , Slovenia , Sodium, Dietary/administration & dosage , Surveys and Questionnaires , Switzerland , Vitamin D/administration & dosage , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the food intake of Slovenian adolescents and to compare it with food-based dietary guidelines developed for children and adolescents, named the Optimized Mixed Diet (OMD). The OMD is a useful tool for the evaluation of food intake of adolescents. DESIGN: All adolescents completed an FFQ at a regional health centre; a subgroup also completed a 3 d weighed dietary protocol at home. SETTING: This study is a part of the first national representative study on the dietary habits of Slovenian adolescents. SUBJECTS: This cross-sectional study included a representative sample of 2813 Slovenian adolescents entering high school, aged 14-17 years, from all ten geographical regions of Slovenia. RESULTS: The greatest deviations from the recommended intakes of the main food groups in the OMD were significantly lower intakes of (P < 0·001, mean): vegetables (179 and 163 g/d in boys and girls, respectively), bread/cereals (271 and 226 g/d), potatoes/rice/pasta (212 and 163 g/d); in boys also a significantly lower intake of fruits (mean: 321 g/d, P < 0·001) and a significantly higher intake of meat/meat products (mean: 126 g/d, P < 0·001). Additionally, the results show too high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and too low intakes of fish and plant oils in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: The food intake pattern of Slovenian adolescents deviates markedly from a healthy eating pattern. Nutrition education and interventions are needed for Slovenian adolescents.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena/physiology , Diet/statistics & numerical data , Diet/standards , Nutrition Policy , Adolescent , Beverages , Bread , Cross-Sectional Studies , Edible Grain , Feeding Behavior , Female , Fruit , Humans , Male , Nutrition Surveys , Sex Distribution , Slovenia , Surveys and Questionnaires , VegetablesABSTRACT
In Slovenia, table salt iodization has been applied to combat iodine deficiency. Recently, we found that Slovenian adolescents attained iodine sufficiency (median urinary iodine concentration was 140 microg/L; prevalence of goiter was <1%). National data indicate that salt intake of Slovenian population is too high (150% above the recommended limit); therefore, we hypothesized that sufficient iodine intake in adolescents can be primarily attributed to excessive salt intake. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated iodine and salt intake in Slovenian adolescents as well as the contributions of different foods to their intake. We determined the iodine and salt intake of a national representative sample of 2581 adolescents, aged 14 to 17 years, using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The FFQ covered habitual diets over the past year, and 2485 (96%) adolescents completed a valid FFQ (1370 girls, 1115 boys). The iodine intake was 189.7 +/- 2.6 microg/d (mean +/- standard error of mean), well above the recommended 150 microg/d (P < .001). Table salt was by far the biggest dietary source of iodine and sodium for both sexes. Total salt intake (mean +/- standard error of mean, 10.4 +/- 0.2 g/d) significantly exceeded the upper World Health Organization limit (<5 g/d, P < .001), especially in boys (11.5 +/- 0.3 vs 9.4 +/- 0.2 g/d in girls, P < .001). The main food sources of salt were table salt (33%), bread (24%), salty snack products (10%), meat products (8%), fish products (6%), and milk (4%). Salt intake from foods, excluding table salt, was 6.9 g/d (67% of total salt intake). We conclude that although Slovenian adolescents are iodine sufficient, their salt intake, especially among boys, is too high. Several nutritional interventions are proposed to reduce total salt intake while ensuring adequate iodine intake.
Subject(s)
Iodine/administration & dosage , Nutritional Status , Sodium Chloride, Dietary/administration & dosage , Adolescent , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diet Surveys , Female , Food Analysis , Food, Fortified/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Iodine/deficiency , Male , Malnutrition/prevention & control , Nutrition Policy , SloveniaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Slovenia is classified as being iodine-deficient. We recently found that Slovenian adolescents are iodine-sufficient (median urinary iodine concentration of the population 140 microg/l) and the prevalence of goiter is low (0.9%). The objective of this study was to evaluate iodine intake, the prevalence of marginal, low and excessive intake (<50, 50-100 and >or=300 microg/day), as well as the main sources of iodine in the diet of Slovenian adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 2,581 adolescents (1,415 girls, 1,166 boys, mean age +/- SD 15.6 +/- 0.5 years) representing 10% of 15-year-old Slovenian adolescents. Iodine intake was determined using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in the whole population studied (n = 2,485) and weighted 3-day dietary protocols (3DPs) in a subgroup of participants (n = 191). RESULTS: Median iodine intake determined from FFQ was 155.8 microg/day. There was no significant difference between genders. Marginal, low and excessive iodine intake was observed in 3.3, 20.3 and 11.3% of the adolescents, respectively. The major food sources of dietary iodine included table salt (39 % of the mean daily iodine intake), beverages (22%) and milk/milk products (19%). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary iodine intake in Slovenian adolescents is adequate, illustrating the effective salt iodization program.
