Body Composition Assessment of Body Composition Assessment of Body Composition Assessment of Body Composition Assessment of Body Composition Assessment of

2011 
Objectives: This study aimed to describe and compare the nutritional profile of three groups of adoles- cents of the same age and gender, diagnosed as overweight, obese and eutrophic as determined by the Body Mass Index (BMI). Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, observational, comparative, and descriptive study in which adolescents were evaluated using anthropometric measurements such as skinfolds, waist circumference, BMI and body composition assessed by bioelectric impedance. A semi-quantitative questionnaire about eating frequency was applied to evaluate food intake. The sample was determined by convenience. A total of 517 adolescents were attended at the CMSCVL between October 2005 and December 2006. Of these, 141 (27.3%) agreed to participate and satisfied the inclu- sion criteria. Results: There was no significant difference between groups regarding energy consump- tion or percent macronutrient contribution although the diet of all groups contained fat percentages above recommended levels. Median lipid consumption was 36.6%, 38.3% and 38.2% among eutrophic, over- weight and obese adolescents, respectively. Also, there was no significant difference between groups regarding micronutrient consumption. Quantitative analysis of the diet revealed in general a frequent consumption of rice and beans, as well as bread, salty snacks, soft drinks, artificial juices, coffee with sugar, and sausages. The fruits most frequently consumed were orange, apple and banana and the legumes most frequently consumed were lettuce and tomato. These data are important for the policy of nutritional education adopted at the health center. Conclusion: The food intake does not seem to have been the main factor triggering weight gain. The adolescents studied, regardless of their nutritional status, have similar eating habits which are not compatible with the food pyramid.
    • Correction
    • Source
    • Cite
    • Save
    • Machine Reading By IdeaReader
    23
    References
    0
    Citations
    NaN
    KQI
    []