Eating patterns and lipid levels in older adolescent girls

Bradlee ML et al. – Healthy childhood eating patterns characterized by higher intakes of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean meat, poultry and fish are important modifiable predictors of lipid levels in late adolescence.

Methods

• This study uses previously collected data from the longitudinal NHLBI Growth and Health Study in which 2379 girls were enrolled at ages 9–10 years and followed for ten years.
• Food–based eating patterns were derived from multiple 3–day diet records.
• After adjusting for age, race, socioeconomic status, height, physical activity, and television viewing, girls with higher intakes of dairy, fruit and non–starchy vegetables had about a 40–50% reduced risk an LDL–C ≥ 170 mg/dL and non–HDL–C ≥ 145 mg/dL.
• Diets characterized by higher intakes of dairy and whole grains had similar benefits on TC and LDL–C.

Results

• Girls consuming more fruits and non–starchy vegetables as well as more whole grains were much less likely to have high–risk lipid levels.
• Lean meat, poultry and fish when consumed in the context of other healthy eating patterns had no adverse effects on lipid levels in late adolescence.
• In fact when consumed with higher amounts of fruit and non–starchy vegetables, lean meat, poultry and fish had beneficial effects on HDL.
• Finally, dietary patterns that included more whole grains tended to be associated with lower TG levels.

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