Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Food sources of nutrients among 13-year-old Portuguese adolescents
Joana Araújo1, Milton Severo, Carla Lopes
1Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health and Cardiovascular Research & DevelopmentUnity, University of Porto Medical School, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portuga. jfaraujo@med.up.pt
Objective:
To identify food sources of nutrients in adolescents' diets and to identify differences in food sources according to individual characteristics.
Design:
A cross-sectional evaluation was carried out in the 2003/2004 school year. Self-administered questionnaires were used and a physical examination was performed. Diet was evaluated using an FFQ.
Setting:
Public and private schools in Porto, Portugal.
Subjects:
Adolescents aged 13 years (n 1522) enrolled at school.
Results:
The main sources of energy were starchy foods (26·5 %), dairy (12·5 %) and meat (12·0 %). The major contributors to carbohydrate intake were starchy foods (38·2 %) and fruit (13·8 %) and to protein intake were meat (28·0 %), dairy products (20·3 %), starchy foods (15·3 %) and seafood (13·6 %). The main sources of total fat were meat (22·0 %), starchy foods (13·4 %) and dairy products (12·7 %). Sweets and pastries presented important contributions to energy (11·1 %), carbohydrate (12·4 %), total fat (13·3 %) and saturated fat (16·6 %) intakes. Parental education was inversely associated with the contribution of sweets and pastries to energy, carbohydrate and fat intakes and it was positively associated with the seafood contribution to protein intake.
Conclusions:
The major sources of carbohydrates were starchy foods, which also accounted for a quarter of energy intake. Dairy products plus meat accounted for another quarter of energy. Meat was a major source of protein and fats. Sweets and pastries contributed more than 10 % to energy, carbohydrates, total and saturated fat. Parental education was the strongest determinant of food sources and was positively associated with a healthier contribution of food groups.
Related Concept Videos
Proteins: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Carbohydrates: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
Dietary Connections
Sources of Food Contamination
