title: Increased dietary zinc and vitamin B-2 is associated with increased alanine aminotransferase in Taiwanese adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is generally used for evaluating liver function, and its concentrations are closely associated with sex and nutritional status. This study investigates the relationships between dietary components and serum ALT activity in Taiwanese adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 1,941 adolescents aged 13-18 years who participated in the fourth National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (2010-2011, adolescents).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 15.3±0.1 y (15.3±0.1 y for boys and 15.2±0.1 y for girls). Mean serum ALT was 14.8±13.3 U/L (17.7±16.3 U/L for boys and 12.1±8.7 U/L for girls; p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that, among girls, a single-unit increase in dietary zinc was associated with 1.12- and 1.11-fold increases in risk for increased serum ALT tertile 2 (T2) and T3, respectively, compared with T1; and a single-unit increase in vitamin B-2 intake increased risk by 1.71- and 1.54-fold, respectively. Further analysis revealed that the risk increase for boys and girls who consumed the highest amounts of dietary zinc and vitamin B-2 (T3) was 1.97- and 2.62-fold, respectively; they were also more likely to have higher serum ALT (>11 U/L for boys and >9 U/L for girls) than those of the reference (presented as zinc T1 and vitamin B-1 T1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased dietary zinc and vitamin B-2 intake is associated with higher serum ALT in adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chyi-Huey
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tzu-Chieh
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shin-Jiuan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.|Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Nai-Hua
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.|Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wen-Harn
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Email: susanchang@tmu.edu.tw.|Nutrition Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jung-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D015032:Zinc; D012256:Riboflavin