title: Use of a DASH food group score to predict excess weight gain in adolescent girls in the National Growth and Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of selected dietary patterns, particularly a DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) eating pattern, on body mass index (BMI) throughout adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective National Growth and Health Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Washington, DC; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Berkeley, California.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2327 girls with 10 annual visits starting at age 9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual DASH-related food groups and a modified DASH adherence score.
  
  
  METHODS
  The BMI value from measured yearly height and weight over 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal mixed modeling methods were used to assess the effects of individual DASH food groups and a DASH adherence score on BMI during 10 years of follow-up, adjusting for race, height, socioeconomic status, television viewing and video game playing hours, physical activity level, and total energy intake. Girls in the highest vs lowest quintile of the DASH score had an adjusted mean BMI of 24.4 vs 26.3 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) (P < .05). The strongest individual food group predictors of BMI were total fruit (mean BMI, 26.0 vs 23.6 for <1 vs ≥2 servings per day; P < .001) and low-fat dairy (mean BMI, 25.7 vs 23.2 for <1 vs ≥2 servings per day; P < .001). Whole grain consumption was more weakly but beneficially associated with BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescent girls whose diet more closely resembled the DASH eating pattern had smaller gains in BMI over 10 years. Such an eating pattern may help prevent excess weight gain during adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA. Jonathan.Berz@bmc.org
authors.forename: Jonathan P B
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Berz
authors.forename: Martha R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Xinxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Lynn L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015930:Diet Records; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005502:Food / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain