title: Food consumption frequency and excess body weight in adolescents in the context of financial crisis in Barcelona (Spain).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe food consumption frequency in adolescents in the context of the financial crisis in 2012, and to analyse potential fluctuations in excess body weight between 2008 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of eating habits and excess body weight was conducted in adolescents aged 13 to 19 years old from public, subsidised and private secondary schools in Barcelona, Spain. The FRESC lifestyle risk factors survey was used, and food frequency consumption, food recommendations and body mass index were analysed according to gender, year of education and socioeconomic status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Girls ate vegetables and fruits more frequently than boys, while the prevalence of junk food consumption was higher in boys. The prevalence of compliance with food recommendations was lower than 50% for all foods, and gender and socioeconomic differences were found for eggs, red meat and soft drinks. Regarding excess body weight, boys had a higher prevalence than girls in the 2 years analysed. Furthermore, a reduction in excess body weight was observed among girls in secondary education in the highest socioeconomic groups (28.7% [95% CI: 24.8-32.6%] in 2008 to 20.5% [95% CI: 17.1-23.8%] in 2012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of adolescents following food recommendations is low, and gender differences were found in terms of food consumption frequency, even in the context of financial crisis. There is a need to promote programmes and policies to reduce inequalities related to eating habits and excess body weight in adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arechavala
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Continente
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-Giménez
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bartoll
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sànchez-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: mjlopez@aspb.cat.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057172:Economic Recession; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent; Adolescente; Diet surveys; Economic recession; Encuestas sobre dietas; Food consumption; Ingestión de alimentos; Overweight; Recesión económica; Sobrepeso