Fat quality among adolescents in the Balearic Islands (OBIB study, 2007-2008)

OBJECTIVE: evaluate fat intake and fat quality in Balearic Island's adoles­cents.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: a cross-sectional nutritional survey (2007-2008) was carried out among the Balearic Islands adolescents (12­17 years old; n=1231). Samples were classified according to the island of origin (Palma de Mallorca, [Mallorca's capital], Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza). Two non-consecutive 24 h recalls were used to assess usual energy and nutrient intake. To evaluate fat quality intake we used the ratio PUFA+MUFA/SFA, cholesterol intake/ SFA.

RESULTS: contribution of total fat to energy intake was 39 percent, SFA 13.6 percent, MUFA 17.3 energy percent and PUFA energy 4.2 ener­gy percent. Contribution of total fat (39.4 percent), MUFA (17.6 percent) and PUFA (4.3 percent) to energy intake were higher in girls, than boys (38.4 percent, 17.0 percent and 4.0 percent respectively). Fat diet qual-ity extracted from PUFA+MUFA/ SFA was higher in girls (1.7) than in boys (1.6), and the same occurred in cholesterol/SFA (boys = 58.8, girls =47.9). Cholesterol intake was higher in boys (404 mg) than in girls (331 mg). Differences between origins of Islands occurred in fat energy intake, being in Palma (39.4 percent) and Mallorca (39.5 percent) higher than Menorca (38.0 percent) and Ibiza (36.7 percent). Highest contribution to fat energy intake of girls was in Mallorca Island (40.6 percent), and the lowest in Ibiza (36.5 percent). Girls showed the same patterns of fat quality in PUFA+MUFA/SFA and cholesterol/SFA in all Islands. Program for Promotion of Biomedical Research and Health Sciences, Projects 05/1276 and 08/1259. Grup de Nutrició Comunitaria i Estrés Oxidatiu y Ciberobn. Centro de Inves­tigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición. Universitat de les Illes Balears. 07122 Palma de Mallorca.

CONCLUSION: total fat consumption is higher in Mediterranean countries (as Balearic Islands) than in western countries due to consumption of olive oil. But fat intake from SFA is higher than recommended, and that prob-ably leads to a higher total fat intake, as MUFA intake is correct. Girls showed higher fat, MUFA and PUFA intake but lower cholesterol and SFA; and then a healthier fat intake quality than boys. 

Póster presentado en el Congreso Internacional de Nutrición, Oporto 2010.