| 1. |
- Hallström, Lena, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Breakfast Habits and their Association with Socio-demographic Factors among European Adolescents: The HELENA study.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Public Health Nutrition. - 1368-9800 .- 1475-2727. ; 15:10, s. 1879-1889
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To describe breakfast habits on food group level in European adolescents and to investigate the associations between these habits and socio-demographic factors.Design: Cross-sectional studySetting: Secondary schools from nine European cities participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle inEuropeby Nutrition in Adolescence) Study. Breakfast habits were assessed twice using a computer-based 24-h dietary recall. Adolescents who consumed breakfast on at least one recall day were classified as ‘breakfast consumers’ and adolescents who did not have anything for breakfast on either of the two recall days were considered ‘breakfast skippers’. A ‘breakfast quality-index’ to describe breakfast quality was created based on the consumption or non-consumption of: cereals/cereal products, dairy products and fruits/vegetables. The socio-demographic factors studied were sex, age, region of Europe, maternal and paternal education, family structure and family affluence.Subjects: 2672 adolescents (12-17 years, 53 % girls). Results: The majority of the adolescents reported a breakfast that scored poorly on the breakfast quality index. Older adolescents, adolescents from the southern part of Europe and adolescents from families with low socio-economic status were more likely to consume a low-quality breakfast.Conclusion: This study highlights the need to promote the consumption of a high-quality breakfast among adolescents, particularly in older adolescents, adolescents from southern Europe and to adolescents from families with low socio-economic status, in order to improve public health.
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| 2. |
- Hallström, Lena, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Nutritional knowledge in European adolescents : results from the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study
- 2011
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Ingår i: Public Health Nutrition. - 1368-9800 .- 1475-2727. ; 14:12, s. 2083-2091
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To build up sufficient knowledge of a ‘healthy diet’. Here, we report on the assessment of nutritional knowledge using a uniform method in a large sample of adolescents across Europe.Design: A cross-sectional study.Setting: The European multicentre HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study conducted in 2006–2007 in ten cities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece (one inland and one island city), Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden.Subjects: A total of 3546 adolescents (aged 12,5–17,5 years) completed a validated nutritional knowledge test (NKT). Socio-economic variables and anthropometric data were considered as potential confounders.Results: NKT scores increased with age and girls had higher scores compared with boys (62% v.59 %;P<0,0001). Scores were approximately 10% lower in ‘immigrant’ adolescents or in adolescents with ‘immigrant’ mothers. Misconceptions with respect to the sugar content in food or in beverages were found. Overall, there was no correlation between BMI values and NKT scores. After categorization according to BMI, scores increased significantly with BMI group only in boys. These differences disappeared after controlling for socio-economic status (SES). Smoking status and educational level of the mother influenced the NKT scores significantly in boys, as well as the educational levels of both parents in girls.Conclusions: Nutritional knowledge was modest in our sample. Interventions should be focused on the lower SES segments of the population. They should be initiated at a younger age and should be combined with environmental prevention (e.g. healthy meals in school canteens).
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| 3. |
- Manios, Yannis, et al.
(författare)
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A systematic approach for the development of a kindergarten-based intervention for the prevention of obesity : the Toy Box-study
- 2012
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Ingår i: Obesity Reviews. - 1467-7881 .- 1467-789X. ; 13:suppl1, s. 3-12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The increasing childhood obesity epidemic calls for appropriate measures and effective policies to be applied early in life. Large-scale socioecological frameworks providing a holistic multifactorial and cost-effective approach necessary to support obesity prevention initiatives in this age are however currently missing. To address this missing link, ToyBox-study aims to build and evaluate a cost-effective kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention scheme to prevent obesity in early childhood, which could potentially be expanded on a pan-European scale. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from 10 countries have joined forces and will work to realize this according to a systematic stepwise approach that combines the use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model and intervention mapping protocol. ToyBox-study will conduct systematic and narrative reviews, secondary data analyses, focus group research and societal assessment to design, implement and evaluate outcome, impact, process and cost effectiveness of the intervention. This is the first time that such a holistic approach has been used on a pan-European scale to promote healthy weight and healthy energy balance-related behaviours for the prevention of early childhood obesity. The results of ToyBox-study will be disseminated among key stakeholders including researchers, policy makers, practitioners and the general population.
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| 4. |
- Vandevijvere, Stefanie, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of food and nutrient intake assessment using concentration biomarkers in European adolescents from the HELENA study
- 2013
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Ingår i: British Journal of Nutrition. - 0007-1145 .- 1475-2662. ; 109:4, s. 736-747
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Accurate food and nutrient intake assessment is essential for investigating diet-disease relationships. In the present study, food and nutrient intake assessment among European adolescents using 24 h recalls (mean of two recalls) and a FFQ (separately and the combination of both) were evaluated using concentration biomarkers. Biomarkers included were vitamin C, β-carotene, DHA+EPA, vitamin B12 (cobalamin and holo-transcobalamin) and folate (erythrocyte folate and plasma folate). For the evaluation of the food intake assessment 390 adolescents were included, while 697 were included for the nutrient intake assessment evaluation. Spearman rank and Pearson correlations, and validity coefficients, which are correlations between intake estimated and habitual true intake, were calculated. Correlations were higher between frequency of food consumption (from the FFQ) and concentration biomarkers than between mean food intake (from the recalls) and concentration biomarkers, especially for DHA+EPA (r 0·35 v. r 0·27). Most correlations were higher among girls than boys. For boys, the highest validity coefficients were found for frequency of fruit consumption (0·88) and for DHA+EPA biomarker (0·71). In girls, the highest validity coefficients were found for fruit consumption frequency (0·76), vegetable consumption frequency (0·74), mean fruit intake (0·90) and DHA+EPA biomarker (0·69). After exclusion of underreporters, correlations slightly improved. Correlations between usual food intakes, adjusted for food consumption frequency, and concentration biomarkers were higher than correlations between mean food intakes and concentration biomarkers. In conclusion, two non-consecutive 24 h recalls in combination with a FFQ seem to be appropriate to rank subjects according to their usual food intake
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| 5. |
- Vyncke, K, et al.
(författare)
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Validation of the Diet Quality Index for Adolescents by comparison with biomarkers, nutrient and food intakes : the HELENA study
- 2013
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Ingår i: British Journal of Nutrition. - 0007-1145 .- 1475-2662. ; 109:11, s. 2067-2078
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) aim to address the nutritional requirements at population level in order to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle. Diet quality indices can be used to assess the compliance with these FBDG. The present study aimed to investigate whether the newly developed Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) is a good surrogate measure for adherence to FBDG, and whether adherence to these FBDG effectively leads to better nutrient intakes and nutritional biomarkers in adolescents. Participants included 1804 European adolescents who were recruited in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) Study. Dietary intake was assessed by two, non-consecutive 24 h recalls. A DQI-A score, considering the components' dietary quality, diversity and equilibrium, was calculated. Associations between the DQI-A and food and nutrient intakes and blood concentration biomarkers were investigated using multilevel regression analysis corrected for centre, age and sex. DQI-A scores were associated with food intake in the expected direction: positive associations with nutrient-dense food items, such as fruits and vegetables, and inverse associations with energy-dense and low-nutritious foods. On the nutrient level, the DQI-A was positively related to the intake of water, fibre and most minerals and vitamins. No association was found between the DQI-A and total fat intake. Furthermore, a positive association was observed with 25-hydroxyvitamin D, holo-transcobalamin and n-3 fatty acid serum levels. The present study has shown good validity of the DQI-A by confirming the expected associations with food and nutrient intakes and some biomarkers in blood.
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