title: Biochemical indicators of nutritional status and dietary intake in Costa Rican Cabécar Indian adolescents.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the blood levels of selected nutritional status indicators and the dietary intake of Costa Rican Cabécar Indians aged 10 to 16 years. The results showed that 65% of the adolescents had an adequate body mass index (BMI) for their age, and 32% had a BMI < 5th percentile. Likewise, the study revealed a high prevalence of anemia (57%), deficient serum folate levels (54%), deficient vitamin B12 levels (31%), and subclinical vitamin A deficiency (10%). Additionally, the youngsters had elevated prevalences of high triglyceride levels (77%), borderline high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (46%), homocysteine levels > 10 micromol/L (29%), and homozygous mutation of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) (49%). The diet was poor, being high in saturated fat and low in polyunsaturated fat, fiber, and several micronutrients. The dietary intakes of more than 55% of the adolescents did not meet 50% of the estimated average requirements (EAR) for zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, and folate. Furthermore, a high prevalence of parasitosis was found (68%). Our results show an adolescent Cabécar population with a mosaic of nutritional deficiencies and cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Costa Rican Institute for Research and Education on Nutrition and Health.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monge-Rojas
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrantes
authors.forename: Ileana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nuñez-Rivas
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Lowella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cambronero
authors.forename: Lisbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004041:Dietary Fats; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides