Lower Intake of Saturated Fatty Acids Is Associated with Improved Lipid Profile in a 6-Year-Old Nationally Representative Population |
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Authors: | Hafdis Helgadottir Birna Thorisdottir Ingibjorg Gunnarsdottir Thorhallur I. Halldorsson Gestur Palsson Inga Thorsdottir |
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Affiliation: | 1.Unit for Nutrition Research, Health Science Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland; (H.H.); (B.T.); (I.G.); (T.I.H.);2.Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland;3.Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland;4.Children’s Hospital, Landspitali University Hospital, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland; |
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Abstract: | To strengthen the organization of new national dietary surveys and interventions in childhood, our aim was to study macronutrient intake and blood lipid profile at 6 years of age by comparing results from two earlier population-based cohorts. Subjects were n = 131 and n = 162 in the years 2001–2002 and 2011–2012, respectively. Three-day weighed food records were used to estimate diet and calculate nutrient intake. Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol were measured in serum and LDL-cholesterol was calculated. The average intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and trans FA was lower in 2011–2012 than 2001–2002 (13.3E% vs. 14.7E%, p < 0.001, and 0.8E% vs. 1.4E%, p < 0.001, respectively), replaced by a higher intake of unsaturated fatty acids. Total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were significantly lower in 2011–2012 than 2001–2002 (4.6 vs. 4.4 mmol/L, p = 0.003 and 2.8 vs. 2.5 mmol/L, p < 0.001, respectively). In a multiple linear regression model, one E% increase in SFA intake was related to a 0.03 mmol/L increase in LDL cholesterol (p = 0.04). A lower intake of saturated and trans fatty acids, replaced by unsaturated fatty acids, may have contributed to an improved lipid profile in a healthy 6-year-old population. Biological data for analysis of blood lipids are important in national dietary surveys in healthy children to monitor important health outcomes of interventions. |
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Keywords: | blood lipids childhood diet quality dietary surveys fatty acids nutrition |
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