Dietary Intake of Adolescents and Alignment with Recommendations for Healthy and Sustainable Diets: Results of the SI.Menu Study.

BACKGROUND: The SI.Menu study offers the latest data on the dietary intake of Slovenian adolescents aged 10 to 17. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively assess their dietary intake (energy and nutrients) and compare their food intakes with dietary recommendations for healthy and sustainable diets. METHODS: The cross-sectional epidemiological dietary study SI.Menu (March 2017-April 2018) was conducted on a representative sample of Slovenian adolescents aged 10 to 17 years (n = 468) (230 males and 238 females). Data on dietary intake were gathered through two non-consecutive 24 h recalls, in line with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) EU Menu methodology. The repeated 24 h Dietary Recall (HDR) and Food Propensity Questionnaire (FPQ) data were combined to determine the usual intakes of nutrients and food groups, using the Multiple Source Method (MSM) program. RESULTS: Adolescents' diets significantly deviate from dietary recommendations, lacking vegetables, milk and dairy products, nuts and seeds, legumes, and water, while containing excessive meat (especially red meat) and high-sugar foods. This results in insufficient intake of dietary fibre, and nutrients such as vitamin D, folate, and calcium. CONCLUSIONS: The dietary intake of Slovenian adolescents does not meet healthy and sustainable diet recommendations. This study provides an important insight into the dietary habits of Slovenian adolescents that could be useful for future public health strategies.

Interpreting urinary iodine concentration: effects of urine dilution and collection timing.

OBJECTIVES: In population studies, iodine intake estimation relies on median urinary iodine concentration (UIC). However, interpreting UIC measurements can be challenging. METHODS: In our study, we included 772 adult participants from three groups: nationally representative gender-mixed, women of reproductive age, and pregnant women. We measured UIC and urinary creatinine (U-Cr) to calculate the iodine-to-creatinine ratio (I/Cr). U-Cr cut-off value of 0.226 g/L was used for differentiation between diluted and undiluted urine samples. After excluding samples below this cut-off, new median UIC and I/Cr ratios were calculated. We additionally evaluated the influence of urine sample collection time on UIC. RESULTS: Median UICs were 91.8 µg/L for nationally representative group, 58.3 µg/L for women of reproductive age, and 74.9 µg/L for pregnant women, while I/Cr ratios were 91.7, 102.0, and 159.2 µg/g, respectively. After implementing U-Cr cut-off and excluding all data where U-Cr was below cut-off, new median values were 93.4, 76.3, and 95.4 µg/L for UICs, and 88.6, 88.8, and 128.7 µg/g for I/Cr ratios, respectively. In women of reproductive age, median UIC was significantly lower in urine samples collected after 9:30 and after 12:00 as compared to samples collected before 9.30 (53.4, 57.8, and 97.3 µg/L, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: UIC results should be interpreted with caution, considering urine dilution and sample collection timing. U-Cr measurement should be included in population-based iodine intake studies, with corrections applied especially for pregnant women and younger adults, for whom morning is best for single-spot samples.