title: Trends of dietary habits in adolescents.
abstract: Lifestyle plays an important role in the development of obesity during childhood and adolescence. We provide up-to-date information about the relationship between obesity and food intake and dietary patterns in adolescents. Scientific evidence is increasing about the dietary factors associated with this relationship, specifically a low meal frequency, skipping breakfast, and a high consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. Maybe some of the reviewed dietary factors could cluster in the same population of adolescents, increasing the individual risk. There is little information about dietary patterns and current time trends in adolescents; however, the available data seem to show that the tendency in the adolescent population worldwide is to increase those dietary factors related with obesity development. Public health efforts should be emphasized in order to decrease the current tendency. Regular family meals could serve as role models for healthy eating behaviors. Educational intervention programs for parents, aiming to modify the healthfulness of the diet, seems to be one of the most adequate tools to deal with the worldwide obesity epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. lmoreno@unizar.es
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleta
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bueno-Lozano
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bueno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D001628:Beverages; D004032:Diet / Q000639:trends; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005190:Family; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012147:Restaurants; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates