title: Food intake of European adolescents in the light of different food-based dietary guidelines: results of the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since inadequate food consumption patterns during adolescence are not only linked with the occurrence of obesity in youth but also with the subsequent risk of developing diseases in adulthood, the establishment and maintenance of a healthy diet early in life is of great public health importance. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to describe and evaluate the food consumption of a well-characterized sample of European adolescents against food-based dietary guidelines for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study is a cross-sectional study, whose main objective was to obtain comparable data on a variety of nutritional and health-related parameters in adolescents aged 12·5-17·5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten cities in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  The initial sample consisted of more than 3000 European adolescents. Among these, 1593 adolescents (54 % female) had sufficient and plausible dietary data on energy and food intakes from two 24 h recalls using the HELENA-DIAT software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Food intake of adolescents in Europe is not optimal compared with the two food-based dietary guidelines, Optimized Mixed Diet and Food Guide Pyramid, examined in this study. Adolescents eat half of the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables and less than two-thirds of the recommended amount of milk (and milk products), but consume much more meat (and meat products), fats and sweets than recommended. However, median total energy intake may be estimated to be nearly in line with the recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results urge the need to improve the dietary habits of adolescents in order to maintain health in later life.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn, Heinstueck 11, D-44225 Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diethelm
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
authors.forename: Tineke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Vriendt
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Gross
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gottrand
authors.forename: Chantal C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dallongeville
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuenca-Garcia
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kafatos
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plada
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kersting
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements