title: Food intake and inflammation in European children: the IDEFICS study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study assesses the relationship between consumption frequencies of food items and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in European children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of the baseline sample (N = 16.228) of the IDEFICS study, 6.403 children (1.315 boys aged 2 to <6, 1.908 boys aged 6 to <10, 1.204 girls aged 2 to <6 and 1.976 girls aged 6 to <10 years) had hs-CRP measured and the Children's Eating Habits Questionnaire filled, including a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression adjusted for body mass index z-score, education of the mother, breast-feeding and self-reported hours of physical activity in a sport club per week was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean frequency intake of raw vegetable was lower in boys (p = 0.022 in young and p = 0.020 in old) and older girls (p = 0.026) with high hs-CRP concentration, while in younger girls (p = 0.008) the same occurred with the cooked vegetables. The probability of having higher hs-CRP concentration was significantly associated with having low consumption frequency of vegetables (p = 0.004 in older boys, raw vegetables; and p = 0.0032 in younger girls, cooked vegetables). Also, honey/jam intake decreased the probability of having higher concentration of hs-CRP, whereas soft drinks with sugar, mayonnaise and cereals milled increased this probability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out of all food items associated with hs-CRP, frequency intake of vegetables presented more associations across all the analysis. Findings suggest that a high-frequency intake of vegetables is inversely related to an inflammatory status in children. More studies are needed to assess the association between diet and inflammation.
authors.affiliation: GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain. esthergg@unizar.es.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. esthergg@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: González-Gil
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Ministry of Science and Innovation, Madrid, Spain.|Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santabárbara
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiological Methods and Etiologic Research, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany.|Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Institute of Statistics, University Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahrens
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Claessens
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lissner
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiological Methods and Etiologic Research, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Börnhorst
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Mediterranean Neurological Institute NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Italy.
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Denes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.affiliation: Unit of Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siani
authors.affiliation: Research and Education Institute of Child Health REF, Strovolos, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tornaritis
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Development, Tervise Arengu Instituut, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veidebaum
authors.affiliation: GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D057230:Limit of Detection; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D064427:Nutritive Sweeteners; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Children; European; Food intake; IDEFICS; Inflammation