Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:19:53.444Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

What sort of teenager has high intakes of energy and nutrients?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

David R. Woodward
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Department, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. An alternative statistical technique, based on analysis of the 75th percentile, was used to examine teenagers' diets. The technique was developed to identify personal characteristics that affected the prevalence of high energy and nutrient intakes. It provided useful information not obtainable from methods based on average intakes.

2. The study sample was a representative sample of 1055 high-school students in Tasmania, Australia, aged 11–16 years.

3. Among girls, the prevalence of high intakes of energy and several nutrients was not affected by any of the fifteen characteristics studied. (In this context, ‘high’ was defined as above the 75th percentile for girls.) Fatter, heavier girls were less likely to have high intakes of carbohydrate, iron and niacin-equivalent, and also of meat and ‘empty-energy’ foods. Girls from small families were less likely to have high calcium intakes, and girls from goverment schools less likely to have high thiamin intakes.

4. Among boys, age generally had the greatest influence on the prevalence of high intakes (‘high’ being defined as above the 75th percentile for boys). Older boys were more likely to have high intakes of energy and most nutrients, as well as meat, cereals and fruit and vegetables. These age-related changes were, however, rather asynchronous. High fat intakes were more common among boys wbo had drunk more than five glasses of alcoholic beverages in the preceding week. High Ca intakes were more frequent among those who exercised vigorously, and high vitamin A intakes less common among the sons of well-educated mothers.

Type
Papers of direct relevance to Clinical and Human Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1985

References

REFERENCES

Conover, W. J. (1971). Practical Non-Parametric Statistics, pp. 167172. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Darke, S. J., Disselduff, M. M. & Try, G. P. (1980). British Journal of Nutrition 44, 243252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garn, S. M., Shaw, H. A., Wainright, R. L. & McCabe, K. D. (1977). Ecology of Food and Nutrition 6, 153157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huenemann, R. L. (1972). Postgraduate Medicine 51, 99105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Health and Medical Research Council (1971). Dietary Allowances for Use in Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.Google Scholar
Samuelson, G. (1971). Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica 214, Suppl., 544.Google Scholar
United States National Center for Health Statistics (1979). Dietary Intake Source Data 1971–1974. Hyattsville, Md: U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare.Google Scholar
van Schaik, T. F. S. M. & Kenter, H. A. (1973). Voeding 33, 577604.Google Scholar
Woodward, D. R. (1984). British Journal of Nutrition 52, 2132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodward, D. R. (1985). British Journal of Nutrition 53, 241249.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodward, D. R., Lynch, P. P., Waters, M. J., Maclean, A. R., Ruddock, W. E., Rataj, J. W. & Lemoh, J. N. (1981). Australian Paediatric Journal 17, 196201.Google Scholar