Nutrition and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Four Age Groups of Female Individuals: The PEP Family Heart Study

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of nutritional habits and associations with cardio-metabolic risk factors in four age groups of women participating in the Prevention Education Program, Family Heart Study. METHODS: Anthropometric variables, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP), lipoproteins, glucose and insulin were measured in 141 children, 211 adolescents, 151 women <55 years and 150 women ≥ 55 years. Nutritional data were assessed by 7 days weighted dietary records. For statistics, SPSS 15.0 was used; associations were calculated by multiple logistic regression; p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of CVD risk factors was similar in children and adolescents except for hypertriglyceridemia which was >3 times more common in adolescents. Thirty six percent of junior women were overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m(2)) and 21% had central adiposity obese. Sixty eight year-old women had a far more adverse risk profile than 35 year-old women. In terms of energy consumption, 14 year-old women had the lowest fat intake and the highest consumption of carbohydrates whereas intake of protein was lowest in 10 year-old girls. Intake of unsaturated fat was lower in youths than in adults amounting to 37 g unsaturated fat respectively 53.4% of total fat consumption. The association between energy consumption and overweight was significant and calorie intake was associated with clustering of ≥3 cardiovascular risk factors (OR: 4.72; 95% CI 1.22-18.33). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CVD risk factors increased continuously from girls and adolescents to junior and senior women. However, dietary intake was different in the four age groups. Caloric intake was associated with overweight and clustering of risk factors in adult women.