Associations between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and dietary quality among adolescents in Palma de Mallorca.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed associations between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and dietary quality among adolescents.


METHODS
Subjects were 445 adolescents (171 boys, 274 girls; 14 to 18 y old) selected from the Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) school census (96% participation) using two-stage probability sampling. The study protocol included dietary intake by means of a validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire; sociodemographic factors of sex, maternal level of education, parental occupational status, and maternal region of origin; physical activity; and body weight and height measurements. Body mass index was calculated and energy intake expressed as multiples of basal metabolic rate.


RESULTS
Mean daily energy intakes were 12.9 MJ for boys and 12.0 MJ for girls. Boys showed a higher percentage of energy from carbohydrates but a lower percentage from proteins and fat than did girls (44.9 versus 41.6, 18.8 versus 19.8, and 36.3 versus 38.5, respectively). Dietary fiber intake was within the recommended levels. Mineral and vitamin intakes generally met their estimated needs, except for vitamins A and D, which covered less than two-thirds of the recommended intake. Maternal educational level was positively correlated with dietary mineral and vitamin intakes. A positive relation between physical activity and dietary intakes of carbohydrate and of mineral and vitamin was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal level of education and physical activity are associated to the quality of diet among adolescents in Palma de Mallorca.
Tur
Josep A
JA
Laboratory of Physical Activity Sciences, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. pep.tur@uib.es
Puig
Marta S
MS
Benito
Enric
E
Pons
Antoni
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008521:Mediterranean Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010290:Parents; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric