Adolescents in the US have a poor diet, which puts them at risk for heart attack, stroke, and even diabetes later in life.
Scientists researched a group of 10-16-year-olds using special medical tests.
The research focused on youth in Louisiana's metropolitan areas, which have high poverty levels, food insecurity, obesity.
How it was tested
People provided baseline data and follow-up measures two years later.
The goal was to identify areas for future interventions in families, homes, and communities to improve diet quality and reduce health risks.
Out of 340 eligible participants, the final sample included 192 adolescents with complete data.
They wore an accelerometer for at least seven days and completed two 24-hour dietary recalls.
The researchers measured body composition, blood pressure, clinical chemistry, and also anthropometrics during research visits.
The results revealed that teens with poor adherence to dietary guidelines continued their unhealthy eating patterns over the two-year study period.
This highlights that the negative effects of a poor-quality diet had already established long-term health risks for these teenagers.
The lead author emphasized the need to promote nutrition knowledge and identify barriers to consuming a healthy diet.
Why it's important
Simply having knowledge about nutrition doesn't always translate into healthy eating habits.
It is crucial to find effective strategies to overcome these barriers and reduce future health risks.
In summary, this research highlights the importance of addressing poor diet quality among teens and implementing interventions to improve their eating habits and reduce the associated health risks.
Recently, we talked about blood sugar level.
