Dietary intakes and food sources of fat and fatty acids in Guatemalan schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundConsumption of healthy diets that contribute with adequate amounts of fat and fatty acids is needed for children. Among Guatemalan children, there is little information about fat intakes. Therefore, the present study sought to assess intakes of dietary fats and examine food sources of those fats in Guatemalan children.MethodsThe study subjects consisted of a convenience sample of 449 third- and fourth-grade schoolchildren (8-10 y), attending public or private schools in Quetzaltenango City, Guatemala. Dietary data was obtained by means of a single pictorial 24-h record.ResultsThe percentages of total energy (%E) from total fat, saturated fat (SFA) and monounsaturated fat (MUFA) reached 29%E for total fat and 10%E for each SFA and MUFA, without gender differences. %E from fats in high vs. low-socio economic status (SES) children were significantly higher for boys, but not for girls, for total fat (p = 0.002) and SFA (p < 0.001). Large proportions of the children had low levels of intakes of some fatty acids (FA), particularly for n-3 FA, with >97% of all groups consuming less than 1%E from this fats. Fried eggs, sweet rolls, whole milk and cheese were main sources of total fat and, SFA. Whole milk and sweet bread were important sources of n-3 FA for high- and low-SES boys and girls, respectively. Fried plantain was the main source of n-3 FA for girls in the high-SES group. Fried fish, seafood soup, and shrimp, consumed only by boys in low amounts, were sources of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, which may explain the low intakes of these nutrients.Conclusionsα-linolenic acid, EPA and DHA were the most limiting fatty acids in diets of Guatemalan schoolchildren, which could be partially explained by the low consumption of sources of these nutrients, particularly fish and seafood (for EPA and DHA). This population will benefit from a higher consumption of culturally acceptable foods that are rich in these limiting nutrients.

Dietary Intake and Food Sources of EPA, DPA and DHA in Australian Children

“…Similar findings have been reported from Belgium, where fish consumption, although low (8.6 g/d), was the main contributor to total EPA, DPA and DHA intakes, providing 53.5, 42.8 and 48.2 %, respectively [37]. A low fish consumption in children has also been reported in other countries, including Germany [38] and Guatemala [39]. A study on 1024 German children of age 2-18 years reported that mean intake of long chain n-3 PUFA (sum EPA + DHA) estimated using yearly 3-day weighed dietary records was 40-140 mg/d.…”

“…A study on 449 Guatemalan school children aged 8-12 years reported that mean intake of EPA and DHA estimated using a single pictorial 24-hour record were 9 mg and 32 mg, respectively, higher in boys than in girls, even after adjustment for total energy [39]. Another study on American children aged 6-11 (n = 962) and 12-19 years (n = 2,208) showed that mean (median) intakes of EPA, DPA and DHA obtained using a 24-hour recall were for EPA: 10 (0) and 20 (0) mg/d respectively, DPA: 10 (0) mg/d for both age groups and DHA: 40 (10) and 50 (10) mg/d respectively [40].…”

Erythrocyte fatty acid status in a convenience sample of residents of the Guatemalan Pacific coastal plain

“…In recent years, urbanization and globalization in Guatemala have contributed to nutrition transition [32]. Based on recent dietary data from a convenience sample of public and private schoolchildren in the western highlands city of Quetzaltenango, 29% of energy, on average, was obtained from fat [32].…”

“…Based on recent dietary data from a convenience sample of public and private schoolchildren in the western highlands city of Quetzaltenango, 29% of energy, on average, was obtained from fat [32]. Alpha-linolenic, EPA and DHA were the most limiting fatty acids, with less than 1% of total dietary lipids derived from LCPUFA [32].…”

Acción de flavonoides sobre la conversión de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados de cadena larga a partir de ácidos grasos esenciales

“…Las ECNT se asocian a factores dietarios, entre ellos elevado consumo de ácidos grasos saturados, desequilibrio en la ingesta de ácido linoleico (C18:2 n-6, AL) y ácido α-linolénico (C18:3 n-6, ALA) -precursores de los AGPI CL n-6 y n-3, respectivamente-e insuficiente consumo de ácido eicosapentaenoico (C20:5 n-3, EPA) y docosahexaenoico (C22:6, DHA) 2 ; la dieta occidental presenta una relación de 10: 1 a 20:1, e incluso 30:1 respecto a la ingesta de AGPI n-6: n-3, superior a la tasa recomendada de 4:1 3 . Los AGPI n-3 son componentes fundamentales de los fosfolípidos de las membranas celulares, reflejando la composición de la dieta 4 , ejerciendo efectos biológicos sobre el metabolismo de lípidos mediante la síntesis y acción de eicosanoides 4 , e incrementando, en ratones inducidos a esteatosis hepática, la abundancia nuclear de los receptores activados por proliferadores de peroxisomas alfa, PPAR-α del inglés "peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α" (PPAR-α), y reduciendo la cuantía nuclear de la proteína de unión a los elementos regulatorios de esteroles 1c, SREBP-1c, por sus siglas en inglés "Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Proteins", lo que incrementa la β-oxidación y disminuye la lipogénesis 5 , por tanto los AGPI-CL tienen un papel clave en la prevención y manejo de las ECNT 4 .…”