The Relationship Between Eating Habits and Anthropometric Values in High School Adolescents

Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between dietary habits and anthropometric characteristics of high school adolescents. Participants and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved randomly selecting 104 students (34 boys and 70 girls) who were 17-19 years old. To evaluate dietary habits, a validated and standardized EPIC-Norfolk frequency food questionnaire was used, and anthropometric characteristics of the participants were assessed. Results: The most often consumed foods during the week were meats and fruits, while the least frequently consumed were fish and vegetables. For all participants, intake below the recommended levels was for alpha-carotene, total carbohydrate sugars, vitamin D, milk, dairy products, nuts, and seeds. Intake of proteins and iron was below the recommended levels in girls. Boys had a lower intake of proteins and fruits compared to girls. No differences were observed in the consumption of macronutrients. The median of all anthropometric values was within the reference values. Boys were slightly older and had significantly higher values of body weight and height, BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip-ratio (WHR) compared to girls. In addition, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly higher in males than in females. Participants with increased arterial blood pressure (ABP) showed significantly higher energy intake from fat, sodium intake, and total fat intake compared to those with normal ABP. Participants with increased WHR had significantly higher energy intake, intake of sodium, and total carbohydrates compared to those with normal WHR. Conclusions: This study shows that adolescents' eating habits (particularly intake of fat and sodium) were associated with anthropometric values, ABP, and WHR, which present risks for cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood.