Dietary animal and plant protein intakes and their associations with obesity and cardio-metabolic indicators in European adolescents: the HELENA cross-sectional study

Author(s):Show less -

Lin, Yi ^[1] ; Mouratidou, Theodora ^[2] ; Vereecken, Carine ^{[1, 3]} ; Kersting, Mathilde ^[4] ; Bolca, Selin ^[5] ; de Moraes, Augusto Cesar F. ^{[2, 6]} ; Cuenca-Garcia, Magdalena ^[7] ; Moreno, Luis A. ^{[8, 2]} ; Gonzalez-Gross, Marcela ^[9] ; Valtuena, Jara ^[9] ; Labayen, Idoia ^[10] ; Grammatikaki, Evangelia ^{[1, 11]} ; Hallstrom, Lena ^{[12, 13]} ; Leclercq, Catherine ^[14] ; Ferrari, Marika ^[14] ; Gottrand, Frederic ^{[15, 16]} ; Beghin, Laurent ^{[15, 16]} ; Manios, Yannis ^[11] ; Ottevaere, Charlene ^[1] ; Van Oyen, Herman ^[17] ; Molnar, Denes ^[18] ; Kafatos, Anthony ^[19] ; Widhalm, Kurt ^[20] ; Gomez-Martinez, Sonia ^[21] ; Esperanza Diaz Prieto, Ligia ^[21] ; De Henauw, Stefaan ^{[1, 22]} ; Huybrechts, Inge ^{[1, 23]} ; Grp, HELENA Study

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Univ Ghent, Fac Med & Hlth Sci, Dept Publ Hlth, B-9000 Ghent - Belgium

^[2] Univ Zaragoza, Fac Hlth Sci, Growth Exercise Nutr & Dev GENUD Res Grp, E-50009 Zaragoza - Spain

^[3] Res Fdn Flanders FWO, B-1000 Brussels - Belgium

^[4] Univ Bonn, Res Inst Child Nutr, Forsch Inst Kinderernahrung, D-44225 Dortmund - Germany

^[5] Univ Ghent, Fac Biosci Engn, Lab Bioinformat & Computat Genom Biobix, B-9000 Ghent - Belgium

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Prevent Med, YCARE Youth Child & cArdiovasc Risk & Environm Re, BR-01246903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[7] Univ Granada, Sch Med, Dept Med Physiol, Granada 18012 - Spain

^[8] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Prevent Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[9] Univ Politecn Madrid, Fac Phys Act & Sport Sci INEF, Dept Hlth & Human Performance, ImFine Res Grp, E-28040 Madrid - Spain

^[10] Univ Basque Country, Dept Nutr & Food Sci, Vitoria 01006 - Spain

^[11] Harokopio Univ, Dept Nutr & Dietet, Athens 17671 - Greece

^[12] Sch Hlth Care & Social Welf, Div Publ Hlth Sci, S-72123 Vasteres - Sweden

^[13] Sch Hlth Care & Social Welf, Div Sociol, S-72123 Vasteres - Sweden

^[14] Agr Res Council, Food & Nutr Res Ctr, I-00178 Rome - Italy

^[15] Univ Lille, Fac Med, INSERM, U995, Lille - France

^[16] CIC PT 1403 Inserm CH&U, Ctr Invest Clin, F-59037 Lille - France

^[17] Sci Inst Publ Hlth, B-1050 Brussels - Belgium

^[18] Univ Pecs, Dept Pediat, H-7623 Pecs - Hungary

^[19] Univ Crete, Sch Med, Prevent Med & Nutr Unit, Iraklion, Crete - Greece

^[20] Private Med Univ, Dept Pediat, A-5020 Salzburg - Austria

^[21] CSIC, Spanish Natl Res Council, Inst Food Sci Technol & Nutr ICTAN, Immunonut Res Grp, Dept Metab & Nutr, E-28040 Madrid - Spain

^[22] Univ Coll Ghent, Fac Hlth Care Vesalius, Dept Nutr & Dietet, B-9000 Ghent - Belgium

^[23] Int Agcy Res Canc, Dietary Exposure Assessment Grp, F-69372 Lyon 08 - France

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NUTRITION JOURNAL; v. 14, JAN 21 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 14

Abstract

Background: Previous studies suggest that dietary protein might play a beneficial role in combating obesity and its related chronic diseases. Total, animal and plant protein intakes and their associations with anthropometry and serum biomarkers in European adolescents using one standardised methodology across European countries are not well documented. Objectives: To evaluate total, animal and plant protein intakes in European adolescents stratified by gender and age, and to investigate their associations with cardio-metabolic indicators (anthropometry and biomarkers). Methods: The current analysis included 1804 randomly selected adolescents participating in the HELENA study (conducted in 2006-2007) aged 12.5-17.5 y (47% males) who completed two non-consecutive computerised 24-h dietary recalls. Associations between animal and plant protein intakes, and anthropometry and serum biomarkers were examined with General linear Model multivariate analysis. Results: Average total protein intake exceeded the recommendations of World Health Organization and European Food Safety Authority. Mean total protein intake was 96 g/d (59% derived from animal protein). Total, animal and plant protein intakes (g/d) were significantly lower in females than in males and total and plant protein intakes were lower in younger participants (12.5-14.9 y). Protein intake was significantly lower in underweight subjects and higher in obese ones; the direction of the relationship was reversed after adjustments for body weight (g/(kg.d)). The inverse association of plant protein intakes was stronger with BMI z-score and body fat percentage (BF%) compared to animal protein intakes. Additionally, BMI and BF% were positively associated with energy percentage of animal protein. Conclusions: This sample of European adolescents appeared to have adequate total protein intake. Our findings suggest that plant protein intakes may play a role in preventing obesity among European adolescents. Further longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the potential beneficial effects observed in this study in the prevention of obesity and related chronic diseases. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/11137-1 - High blood pressure and aggregation of risk factors in adolescents: a multicenter study
• Grantee: Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/20662-2 - High blood pressure and aggregation of risk factors in adolescents: a multicenter study
• Grantee: Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate