Diet and body fat in adolescence and early adulthood: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva 2017-05, Vol.22 (5), p.1539-1552
• Main Authors: Schneider, Bruna Celestino, Dumith, Samuel Carvalho, Orlandi, Silvana Paiva, Assunção, Maria Cecília Formoso
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adolescence; Adolescent; Adolescents; Adults; Age Factors; Beverages; Body fat; Body Mass Index; Cereals; Child development; Consumption; Correlation analysis; Dairy products; Diet; Diet - standards; Estimation; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Flux density; Food; Health Policy & Services; Human body; Humans; Longitudinal studies; Milk; Soft drinks; Studies; Teenagers; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561; 1678-4561; 1413-8123
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232017225.13972015

Adipose tissue is a vital component of the human body, but in excess, it represents a risk to health. According to the World Health Organization, one of the main factors determining excessive body adiposity is the dietary habit. This systematic review investigated longitudinal studies that assessed the association between diet and body fat in adolescents and young adults. Twenty-one relevant papers published between 2001 and 2015 were selected. The most used method for estimating body fat was the body mass index (15 studies). Diet was most commonly assessed by estimating the consumption of food groups (cereals, milk and dairy products) and specific foods (sugar-sweetened beverages, soft drinks, fast foods, milk, etc.). Ten studies found a direct association between diet and quantity of body fat. During adolescence, adhering to a dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of energy-dense food, fast foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and soft drinks, as well as low fiber intake, appears to contribute to an increase in body fat in early adulthood. The findings of the present study suggest that the frequent consumption of unhealthy foods and food groups (higher energy density and lower nutrient content) in adolescence is associated with higher quantity of body fat in early adulthood.