Impact of calcium intake on body mass index in Venezuelan adolescents.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing worldwide, affecting approximately 15% of adolescents in Venezuela, 17% in United States, and more than 30% in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Recent studies have shown that dietary calcium and dairy intake are associated with body fat. These studies show that a high calcium intake results in low body mass index (BMI). Therefore, the objective of the present study is to relate calcium intake from foods rich in calcium-rich foods to body weight and BMI in a random sample of 100 adolescents, aged 13-18 years. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height) were obtained for each participant, who also completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), modified with calcium-rich foods. Dietary calcium consumption was 1076+/-534 mg/d among the adolescents, which represented an adequacy of 90%. A negative and significant association was found between calcium intake and BMI in the boys aged 13-15 years (r=-0.39, p<0.05). This population subgroup exhibited the widest range of BMI values among all groups evaluated. This correlation was not found among the older boys (aged 16-18 years) or girls, in which BMI was in the normal range and with relatively high calcium intake. In conclusion, we found that high calcium intake in younger boys was related to a lower BMI. A high calcium intake, not only helps to maintain a healthy body weight, but also is essential for acquiring peak bone mass in this crucial stage of life.
School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico. cpalacios@rcm.upr.edu
Cristina
C
Palacios
Paola
P
Benedetti
Silvia
S
Fonseca
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014687:Venezuela
D002136:Calcium, Dietary