title: Dietary intake and cardiometabolic risk in ethnically diverse urban schoolchildren.
abstract: Dietary factors vary widely among ethnic groups. However, the effect of specific nutrients on cardiometabolic risk is not well understood, especially in children. Four dietary factors known to influence cardiometabolic risk (ie, carbohydrate, saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat intake) were assessed by the Block Kids 2004 Food Frequency Questionnaire in a cross-sectional sample of racially diverse fourth- through eighth-grade students (n=148) in a Boston-area school district studied between January and April 2010. Fasting total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and body mass index z scores were measured. Differences in dietary factors and cardiometabolic risk factors were examined among the following racial/ethnic groups: white (39%), Hispanic (32%), black (8%), Asian (10%), and multiracial/other (11%). In bivariate analyses, total, saturated, and polyunsaturated fat intakes differed by race/ethnicity (P<0.05), with white and black children reporting saturated fat intakes above the recommended level. Forty-seven percent of children had at least one suboptimal cardiometabolic risk factor. HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and IL-6 concentrations differed by race/ethnicity (P<0.05, P<0.01, and P<0.01, respectively), with Hispanics having low HDL cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels, whereas Asians had high IL-6 levels. In multivariate analyses controlling for demographic characteristics, none of the dietary factors examined explained racial/ethnic differences in lipid profiles or inflammatory markers. Body mass index z score was associated with lower HDL cholesterol, higher triglyceride, higher CRP, and higher IL-6 levels (P<0.0001). Further research is warranted to determine the influence of dietary recommendations at a young age among different racial/ethnic groups on cardiometabolic health.
authors.affiliation: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. lauren.au@tufts.edu
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Christina D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Economos
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Houser
authors.forename: Aviva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Must
authors.forename: Virginia R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Chomitz
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sacheck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein