Regular breakfast consumption is associated with higher blood vitamin status in adolescents: the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to examine the association between different breakfast consumption patterns and vitamin intakes and blood vitamin concentrations in European adolescents.


METHODS
Breakfast consumption was assessed by a questionnaire. Vitamin intake was calculated from two 24 h recalls. Blood vitamin and total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations were analysed from fasting blood samples.


METHODS
The European Commission-funded HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.


METHODS
Participants were 1058 (52·8 % females) European adolescents (aged 12·5-17·5 years) from ten cities.


RESULTS
Lower vitamin D and vitamin C concentrations were observed in male and female breakfast skippers than in consumers (P<0·05). Female breakfast consumers presented higher holo-transcobalamin and lower tHcy (P<0·05), while males had higher cobalamin concentrations, compared with skippers (P<0·05). Higher vitamin D and total folate intakes were observed in adolescents who consumed breakfast compared with skippers (P<0·05). Likewise, female consumers had higher intakes of vitamin B6 and vitamin E than occasional consumers (P<0·05).


CONCLUSIONS
Regular breakfast consumption is associated with higher blood vitamin D and cobalamin concentrations in males and with higher vitamin D and holo-transcobalamin and lower tHcy concentrations in females. Moreover, breakfast consumption is associated with high intakes of vitamin D and total folate in both sexes, and with high intakes of vitamin B6 and vitamin E in females.
1ImFINE Research Group,Department of Health and Human Performance,Technical University of Madrid,C/ Martín Fierro 7,E-28040 Madrid,Spain.
Juan
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6554-4602
J
Mielgo-Ayuso
1ImFINE Research Group,Department of Health and Human Performance,Technical University of Madrid,C/ Martín Fierro 7,E-28040 Madrid,Spain.
Jara
J
Valtueña
2Department of Medical Physiology,School of Medicine,Granada University,Granada,Spain.
Magdalena
M
Cuenca-García
3UMR995, Faculty of Medicine,University of Lille,CHRU,Lille,France.
Fréderic
F
Gottrand
1ImFINE Research Group,Department of Health and Human Performance,Technical University of Madrid,C/ Martín Fierro 7,E-28040 Madrid,Spain.
Christina
C
Breidenassel
5Agricultural Research Council-Food and Nutrition Research Centre (CRA-NUT),Rome,Italy.
Marika
M
Ferrari
6Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,School of Health Science and Education,Harokopio University,Athens,Greece.
Yannis
Y
Manios
7Department of Public Health,Ghent University,Ghent,Belgium.
Stefaan
S
De Henauw
8Department of Pediatrics,Private Medical University,Salzburg,Austria.
Kurt
K
Widhalm
9Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Unit,University of Crete School of Medicine,Heraklion,Crete,Greece.
Anthony
A
Kafatos
10Research Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund,Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität,Bonn,Germany.
Mathilde
M
Kersting
7Department of Public Health,Ghent University,Ghent,Belgium.
Inge
I
Huybrechts
12Growth, Exercise,Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences,University of Zaragoza,Zaragoza,Spain.
Luis A
LA
Moreno
1ImFINE Research Group,Department of Health and Human Performance,Technical University of Madrid,C/ Martín Fierro 7,E-28040 Madrid,Spain.
Marcela
M
González-Gross
D000293:Adolescent; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D062408:Breakfast; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015438:Health Behavior; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013048:Specimen Handling; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014155:Transcobalamins / Q000378:metabolism; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*
D014155:Transcobalamins; D014815:Vitamins; D006710:Homocysteine; D014807:Vitamin D; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
Adolescents; Breakfast; Vitamin D