title: Validation of the Diet Quality Index for Adolescents by comparison with biomarkers, nutrient and food intakes: the HELENA study.
abstract: Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) aim to address the nutritional requirements at population level in order to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle. Diet quality indices can be used to assess the compliance with these FBDG. The present study aimed to investigate whether the newly developed Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) is a good surrogate measure for adherence to FBDG, and whether adherence to these FBDG effectively leads to better nutrient intakes and nutritional biomarkers in adolescents. Participants included 1804 European adolescents who were recruited in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) Study. Dietary intake was assessed by two, non-consecutive 24 h recalls. A DQI-A score, considering the components' dietary quality, diversity and equilibrium, was calculated. Associations between the DQI-A and food and nutrient intakes and blood concentration biomarkers were investigated using multilevel regression analysis corrected for centre, age and sex. DQI-A scores were associated with food intake in the expected direction: positive associations with nutrient-dense food items, such as fruits and vegetables, and inverse associations with energy-dense and low-nutritious foods. On the nutrient level, the DQI-A was positively related to the intake of water, fibre and most minerals and vitamins. No association was found between the DQI-A and total fat intake. Furthermore, a positive association was observed with 25-hydroxyvitamin D, holo-transcobalamin and n-3 fatty acid serum levels. The present study has shown good validity of the DQI-A by confirming the expected associations with food and nutrient intakes and some biomarkers in blood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University Hospital - Block A, 2nd floor, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. k.vyncke@ugent.be
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vyncke
authors.forename: Estefania
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cruz Fernandez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fajó-Pascual
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuenca-García
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Keyzer
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Gross
authors.forename: Luis A
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authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Laurent
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authors.lastname: Beghin
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authors.lastname: Breidenassel
authors.forename: Mathilde
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authors.lastname: Kersting
authors.forename: Ulrike
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authors.lastname: Albers
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diethelm
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mouratidou
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grammatikaki
authors.forename: Tineke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Vriendt
authors.forename: Ascensión
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bammann
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Börnhorst
authors.forename: Caterine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leclercq
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dallongeville
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vereecken
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Wencke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gwozdz
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Winckel
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gottrand
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sjöström
authors.forename: Ligia E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geelen
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hallström
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Widhalm
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kafatos
authors.forename: Denes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000592:standards*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers