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Epidemiology

Association between dairy product intake and abdominal obesity in Azorean adolescents

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 66, pages 830–835 (2012)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Some studies have reported an inverse association between dairy product (DP) consumption and weight or fat mass loss.

OBJECTIVES:

The objective of our study was to assess the association between DP intake and abdominal obesity (AO) among Azorean adolescents.

SUBJECTS/METHODS:

This study was a cross-sectional analysis. A total of 903 adolescents (370 boys) aged 15–16 years was evaluated. Anthropometric measurements were collected (weight, height and waist circumference (WC)) and McCarthy's cut-points were used to categorize WC. AO was defined when WC was ⩾90th percentile. Adolescent food intake was assessed using a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and DP intake was categorized in <2 and ⩾2 servings/day. Data were analyzed separately for girls and boys, and logistical regression was used to estimate the association between DPs and AO adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS:

The prevalence of AO was 54.9% (boys: 32.1% and girls: 70.7%, P<0.001). For boys and girls, DP consumption was 2.3±1.9 and 2.1±1.6 servings/day (P=0.185), respectively. In both genders, the proportion of adolescents with WC <90th percentile was higher among individuals who reported a dairy intake of ⩾2 servings/day compared with those with an intake <2 servings/day (boys: 71% vs 65% and girls: 36% vs 24%, P<0.05). After adjustments for confounders, two or more DP servings per day were a negative predictor of AO (odds ratio, 0.217; 95% confidence interval, 0.075–0.633) only in boys.

CONCLUSION:

We found a protective association between DP intake and AO only in boys.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by FCT-MCTES Grant nos. BPD/65180/2009, BD/44422/2008, BD/36796/2007, SFRH/BPD/76947/2011 and PTDC/DES/098309/2008, and by Azorean Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    S Abreu, R Santos, C Moreira, S Vale, P C Santos, L Soares-Miranda, A I Marques, J Mota & P Moreira

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Technology of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

    P C Santos

  3. Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    P Moreira

  4. Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    P Moreira

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  1. S Abreu
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Correspondence to S Abreu.

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Abreu, S., Santos, R., Moreira, C. et al. Association between dairy product intake and abdominal obesity in Azorean adolescents. Eur J Clin Nutr 66, 830–835 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.32

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