Tracking of food and nutrient intake from adolescence into early adulthood

According to the dietary patterns identified in adolescence, we assessed the tracking of food and nutrient intake between adolescence and early adulthood.

Participants were 962 adolescents from the Epidemiologic Health Investigation of Teenagers in Porto (EPITeen) cohort, with dietary patterns assigned at 13 y and valid information on diet at 21 y. In both waves, diet was evaluated by a food frequency questionnaire. Consumption of each food group, energy, and nutrients at 21 y were compared across the four dietary patterns with one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test. Consumption of each food group was standardized separately at 13 and at 21 y to compare food intake at both ages.

Participants identified in the "healthier" dietary pattern at 13 y presented at 21 y with the highest consumption of seafood, vegetable soup, vegetables and legumes, fruit, added fats, protein, monounsaturated fat, dietary fiber, calcium, folate, and vitamin C and lower intake of fast food and sodium. Participants from the "fast food and sweets" dietary pattern presented with the highest consumption of fast food and soft drinks and the highest energy intake at 21 y, whereas participants from the "dairy products" pattern presented with the highest consumption of dairy products, calcium, and potassium. When comparing the standardized food consumption, the ranking of food group consumption across the four dietary patterns in general was maintained from 13 to 21 y, although the differences were attenuated.

Despite differences in food and nutrient intake according to patterns that were attenuated at 21y, our results suggest that they are likely to track from adolescence into early adulthood.