Relationship between self-reported dietary intake and physical activity levels among adolescents: The HELENA study

Background Evidence suggests possible synergetic effects of multiple lifestyle behaviors on health risks like obesity and other health outcomes. Therefore it is important to investigate associations between dietary and physical activity behavior, the two most important lifestyle behaviors influencing our energy balance and body composition. The objective of the present study is to describe the relationship between energy, nutrient and food intake and the physical activity level among a large group of European adolescents. Methods The study comprised a total of 2176 adolescents (46.2% male) from ten European cities participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. Dietary intake and physical activity were assessed using validated 24-h dietary recalls and self-reported questionnaires respectively. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare the energy and nutrient intake and the food consumption between groups of adolescents with different physical activity levels (1st to 3rd tertile). Results In both sexes no differences were found in energy intake between the levels of physical activity. The most active males showed a higher intake of polysaccharides, protein, water and vitamin C and a lower intake of saccharides compared to less active males. Females with the highest physical activity level consumed more polysaccharides compared to their least active peers. Male and female adolescents with the highest physical activity levels, consumed more fruit and milk products and less cheese compared to the least active adolescents. The most active males showed higher intakes of vegetables and meat, fish, eggs, meat substitutes and vegetarian products compared to the least active ones. The least active males reported the highest consumption of grain products and potatoes. Within the female group, significantly lower intakes of bread and cereal products and spreads were found for those reporting to spend most time in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The consumption of foods from the remaining food groups, did not differ between the physical activity levels in both sexes. Conclusion It can be concluded that dietary habits diverge between adolescents with different self-reported physical activity levels. For some food groups a difference in intake could be found, which were reflected in differences in some nutrient intakes. It can also be concluded that physically active adolescents are not always inclined to eat healthier diets than their less active peers.The HELENA study took place with the financial support of the European Community Sixth RTD Framework Programme (Contract FOOD-CT: 2005-007034). This work was also partially supported by the European Union, in the framework of the Public Health Programme (ALPHA project, Ref: 2006120), the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS), the Spanish Ministry of Education (EX-2007-1124, and EX-2008-0641), and the Spanish Ministry of Health, Maternal, Child Health and Development Network (number RD08/0072) (JPRL, LAM)

Beneficial effects of a synbiotic supplement on self-perceived gastrointestinal well-being and immunoinflammatory status of healthy adults

The use of synbiotics as health promoters is still poorly defined, and human intervention studies are scarce. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a commercialized synbiotic product containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Bb-12, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei, Streptococcus thermophilus, and fructooligosaccharides on the self-reported gastrointestinal well-being and the immunoinflammatory status of healthy human subjects. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 20 women and 16 men (25-45 years old) received either three tablets per day of the synbiotic product (2.4×109 colony-forming units/day) or placebo during 6 weeks. Gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habits were evaluated through a self-administered questionnaire. In those subjects suffering from any kind of digestive disturbance (mild dyspepsia, flatulence, postprandial bloating, constipation, etc.), improvements in symptoms after product consumption were also evaluated. Blood lymphocyte subsets, phagocytic activity, serum C-reactive protein, ceruloplasmin, and adhesion molecules concentrations were analyzed prior and after treatment. A significant improvement in overall self-reported gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habit was found in the synbiotic group. A marginal effect of treatment (analysis of variance P = .050) was observed with L-selectin, which showed a significant decrease in the synbiotic group (P = .019). In addition, basal L-selectin levels correlated with final intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 levels (r = 0.468; P = .050), and basal ICAM-1 levels tended to correlate negatively with final L-selectin concentration (r = -0.457; P = .056). None of these correlations was found in the placebo group. The rest of the immunological parameters studied were not modified by the intervention. In conclusion, consumption of the synbiotic product improves self-perceived bowel habits and might facilitate a better profile of adhesion molecules in healthy adults. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition.Peer Reviewe

Monasterios valencianos : (su historia y su arte)

Precede ao título: "Excma. Diputación Provincial de Valencia

Nutrigenómica, alimentación y salud. Estudio de Prospectiva

Carreras, J; Muñoz, Emilio; Pérez-Tur, Jordi; García Conesa, M.Teresa; Gueimonde Fernández, Miguel; Olano, Agustín; Garrido Fernández, A.; Olmedilla Alonso, Begoña; García Viguera, Cristina; Molina, Elena; et al.Peer Reviewe

How do energy balance-related behaviors cluster in adolescents?

BJECTIVES: To delineate the clustering of energy balance-related behaviors in adolescents and investigate whether these behaviors are associated with the household socioeconomic status and parental education level. METHODS: Two cross-sectional studies assessed information on sedentary behavior, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit and vegetable consumption, and sleep duration by self-reported questionnaires in adolescents (12.5-17.5years old) from Maringa/Brazil (BRACAH Study; n=682) and ten European cities (HELENA Study; n=1252) from nine different countries. Gender-specific cluster analyses were performed separately for each study, applying a combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods. RESULTS: Girls showed equivalent behaviors: Sedentary; Active; Unhealthy Eating; Healthy Eating; while boys differed (Brazilian: Sedentary; Active; Healthy Eating; European: Sedentary; Healthy; Unhealthy Eating). In Brazil, we found no association between socioeconomic status and parental education. In European girls, the high socioeconomic status and both parents' university degree were associated with Healthy Eating. In European boys, the high socioeconomic status was associated with Unhealthy Eating, and the mothers' university degree was associated with the Healthy cluster. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents show Sedentary behavior, regardless of their sex, country of origin, or socioeconomic condition

Socioeconomic status influences physical fitness in European adolescents independently of body fat and physical activity: the HELENA study

The influence of socioeconomic status on health-related fitness is not clear