Abstract

SILVA, Karine Brito Beck da; LEOVIGILDO FIACCONE, Rosemeire; COUTO, Ricardo David  and  RIBEIRO-SILVA, Rita de Cássia. Evaluation of the effects of a programme promoting adequate and healthy eating on adolescent health markers: an interventional study. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2015, vol.32, n.4, pp.1582-1590. ISSN 1699-5198.  https://dx.doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.32.4.9512.

Aim: to evaluate the effects of a protocol promoting adequate and healthy eating on adolescent health parameters. Methods: this controlled intervention study was conducted for 9 months, with the participation of adolescents enrolled in two schools (intervention/control) located in a poor neighbourhood in the city of Salvador (Bahia), Brazil. For the intervention school, activities promoting adequate and healthy eating were designed based on the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population (Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira). Students underwent biochemical, sexual maturation and anthropometric tests at baseline and at the end of the 9-month period. In addition, students answered a questionnaire on food consumption, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Information on the socioeconomic status of their family was also obtained. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was chosen to evaluate the associations of interest. Results: students under intervention presented decreases of 7.64 mg/dL in mean total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.009) and 7.77 mg/dL in mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) (p = 0.003) and increases of 18% in legume consumption (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.37) and 17% in vegetable consumption (OR = 1.17; 95%CI 1.01-1.35) compared with students who did not undergo intervention. No differences were observed in the anthropometric parameters analysed. Conclusion: the results showed a positive effect of activities promoting adequate and healthy eating on reducing TC and LDLc and on increasing the consumption of vegetables and legumes, evidencing that the intervention model was able to prevent and/or treat cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.

Keywords : Intervention study; Lipid profile; Anthropometric parameters; Food consumption; Food and nutrition education program.

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