Eating habits and presence of cardiovascular risks in children

Energy Dense Salty Food Consumption Frequency Is Associated with Diastolic Hypertension in Spanish Children

High blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and sodium consumption is related to high BP. Moreover, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) influence BP. For this reason, we investigated whether: 1) children with risk of elevated BP had a higher consumption frequency (CF) of energy-dense salty foods (EDSF), high-sugary foods (HSF) and SSB or a low DASH score; and 2) children with a higher CF of EDSF showed a worse anthropometric and metabolic profile. Anthropometry, BP and general biochemical parameters were measured in 687 Spanish children (5-16 years) with normal or excess weight. A food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate EDSF, HSF and SSB consumption, and modified DASH score. Results showed that sex and pubertal stage influenced modified DASH score. Diastolic hypertension was associated to higher CF of EDSF in the whole sample and to higher CF of SSB in pubertal children, both independently of nutritional status. In addition, CF of EDSF was positively associated with CF of HSF and SSB and inversely associated with modified DASH score. Targeted policies and intervention programs, specific for different age ranges, should be established that aim to reduce salt consumption from snacks and processed foods, which could reduce HSF and SSB consumption as well.

The addition of jaboticaba skin flour to muffins alters the physicochemical composition and their sensory acceptability by children

Abstract This work aimed to evaluate the sensory acceptance by children of muffins containing different levels of jaboticaba skin flour. It also aimed to determine the physicochemical composition of the traditional product and compare it with that containing the highest level of jaboticaba skin flour showing acceptance similar to that of the traditional muffin. Five muffin formulations containing different levels of jaboticaba skin flour were prepared: 0% (standard), 4.5%, 9%, 13.5% and 18%. A group of 65 untrained tasters of both genders, aged from 7 to 10, took part in the sensory evaluation. The moisture, ash, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, calorie and dietary fibre levels were evaluated. The samples presented no significant alterations ( p > 0.05) for the attributes of appearance, aroma and colour. The formulations containing 0% and 4.5%, received the highest scores (p < 0.05) for flavour, texture and overall acceptance as compared to those with 13.5% and 18% jaboticaba skin flour. The sample with 9% was the one with the highest level of jaboticaba skin flour with acceptance similar to that of the traditional muffins. Higher moisture, ash and dietary fibre levels and lower lipid and protein levels were detected in the formulation with 9%, when compared to the traditional muffins, but there were no significant changes in the carbohydrate and calorie contents. It was concluded that a level of up to 9% jaboticaba skin flour in the muffins was well accepted by the child tasters, achieving a sensory acceptance similar to that of the traditional product and with good commercial potential.

Sweetened beverages, snacks and overweight: findings from the Young Lives cohort study in Peru

Objective

To determine the association between consumption of snacks and sweetened beverages and risk of overweight among children.

Design

Secondary analysis of the Young Lives cohort study in Peru.

Setting

Twenty sentinel sites from a total of 1818 districts available in Peru.

Subjects

Children in the younger cohort of the Young Lives study in Peru, specifically those included in the third (2009) and the fourth (2013) rounds.

Results

A total of 1813 children were evaluated at baseline; 49·2 % girls and mean age 8·0 (sd 0·3) years. At baseline, 3·3 (95 % CI 2·5, 4·2) % reported daily sweetened beverage consumption, while this proportion was 3·9 (95 % CI 3·1, 4·9) % for snacks. Baseline prevalence of overweight was 22·0 (95 % CI 20·1, 23·9) %. Only 1414 children were followed for 4·0 (sd 0·1) years, with an overweight incidence of 3·6 (95 % CI 3·1, 4·1) per 100 person-years. In multivariable analysis, children who consumed sweetened beverages and snacks daily had an average weight increase of 2·29 (95 % CI 0·62, 3·96) and 2·04 (95 % CI 0·48, 3·60) kg more, respectively, than those who never consumed these products, in approximately 4 years of follow-up. Moreover, there was evidence of an association between daily consumption of sweetened beverages and risk of overweight (relative risk=2·12; 95 % CI 1·05, 4·28).

Conclusions

Daily consumption of sweetened beverages and snacks was associated with increased weight gain v. never consuming these products; and in the case of sweetened beverages, with higher risk of developing overweight.