SUMMARY
OBJECTIVE:
To verify the
association between
metabolic syndrome and its components, and intake of
antioxidant nutrients in
adolescents.
METHODS:
This is a
cross-sectional study of the data of 327
adolescents in a
high school in Teresina, Piauí,
Brazil, pertaining to their socioeconomic background, anthropometric measurements,
dietary intake (
selenium;
copper;
zinc;
vitamins A, C, and E),
hemodynamics, and biochemical tests. The criteria for diagnosing
metabolic syndrome in
adolescents were applied. Binary
logistic regression was used to verify the
association between
metabolic syndrome and its components, and intake of
antioxidants. The level of significance was established at p<0.05.
RESULTS:
Prevalence of
metabolic syndrome was 7.0%, with a significant
association between
body mass index and
blood pressure. Lower tertiles of
copper and
vitamins A and E intake were associated with high
triglyceride and glycemic levels. The
association with
vitamins A and E remained after
adjustment.
CONCLUSIONS:
A significant
association between lower
vitamins A and E intake and
metabolic syndrome components (altered
triglycerides and glycemic levels) was found. Besides further studies on this issue, the need for
health interventions was found, which ensures the appropriate intake of
antioxidant nutrients during
adolescence.