Fatores associados ao risco de ingestão insuficiente de folato entre adolescentes

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with the risk of low folate intake among adolescents.Methods: We employed cluster sampling, using a random selection of 40 representative census sectors and households within those sectors, including all individuals between 10 and 19 years of age. The weight, height and skin folds of subjects were measured and socioeconomic data on their families were collected. A 24-hour dietary recall and frequency questionnaire were used to estimate the quantity and frequency of folate intake. Folate consumption was quantified using Nutwin software. Risk of low folate intake was defined as Folate consumption below the estimated average requirement. The statistical analysis employed hierarchical logistic regression.Results: A total of 722 adolescents were investigated and their mean folate intake was 145±117 µg. The frequency of subjects at risk of having a lower than recommended folate intake was 89%. Adolescents had a greater risk of inadequate folate intake if their body mass index was at or above the 85 th percentile, their waist circumference was at or above the 80 th percentile or they had a family history of cardiovascular disease. Adolescents who ate beans and dark green vegetables less than four times a week also exhibited an increased chance of having folate intake below recommended levels.Conclusions: These adolescents present a high risk of low folate intake and this risk is linked with increasing age, waist circumference above the 80 th percentile and low frequency of beans and dark green vegetables consumption.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2006;82(2):121-6: Adolescent, folic acid, food habits, obesity.

Dietary Folate Intake Is Negatively Associated with Excess Body Weight in Brazilian Graduates and Postgraduates (CUME Project)

“…This study found a trend of decreased folate intake with increased BMI [13]. Another study had shown a negative association of dietary folate with BMI [5,11] and waist circumference [12] in children as well as negative association between serum folate and BMI in adults [13,28]. The mechanisms that explain the relation between folate metabolism and obesity are still limited [13].…”

“…The present study has limitations. First, we did not separately evaluate B-complex vitamins from fortified and naturally occurring food sources [37], although other studies have also applied a similar methodology to estimate these nutrients [12,38,39]. Second, the lack of information about DNA methylation in our population did not allow us to confirm our hypothesis that folate intake was associated with excess body weight and obesity by epigenetic mechanisms, but this analysis is predicted for future studies in the CUME project.…”

“…At the same time, individuals more responsive to diets for weight loss have shown higher levels of global methylation when compared to those less responsive [6]. However, most of the studies related to B vitamins intake and body composition are performed in children [5,11,12].…”

Consumo de energia e nutrientes e a adesão ao Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) por escolares de um município paulista

“…O mesmo percentual de alunos com consumo insuficiente foi anteriormente identificado na pesquisa realizada por Maestro [23] . Entre adolescentes residentes em São Leopoldo (RS) foi observada ingestão insuficiente por 89% dos adolescentes [31] .…”

Avaliação da composição corporal e do consumo alimentar de nadadores adolescentes

“…Vitolo et al 36 verificaram que 89% dos adolescentes da cidade de São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil, apresentaram ingestão insuficiente de vitamina B 9 , sendo que os atletas do presente estudo apresentaram prevalência de inadequação superior. O consumo deficiente da vitamina relaciona--se ao aumento do estresse oxidativo, que é frequente em nadadores, destacando-se a necessidade de programas de educação nutricional a fim de aumentar o consumo de alimentos fontes de vitamina B 9 37 .…”