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Differences in dietary fibre intake and associated familial factors in a longitudinal study at two time points across adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2019

Olivia G Swann
Affiliation:
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
Monique Breslin
Affiliation:
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
Michelle Kilpatrick
Affiliation:
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
Therese A O’Sullivan
Affiliation:
School of Medical and Health Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
Wendy H Oddy*
Affiliation:
Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
*
*Corresponding author: Email Wendy.Oddy@utas.edu.au
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Abstract

Objective:

Dietary fibre is essential for a healthy diet; however, intake is often inadequate. Understanding of sources of dietary fibre and familial factors associated with intake in adolescents is limited, hampering efforts to increase intake. We aimed to determine adequacy of dietary fibre intake in adolescents, examine how intake changes from mid to late adolescence, identify major food sources and explore associations with familial factors.

Design:

Dietary fibre intake measured with semi-quantitative FFQ and sources calculated with the AUSNUT database. Familial factors determined by questionnaire.

Setting:

Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study.

Participants:

Generation 2 adolescents from the 14- (n 1626) and 17-year (n 835) follow-ups.

Results:

Mean intake of dietary fibre did not meet national dietary guidelines other than for females aged 14 years. Mean intake of both sexes was lower at 17 years (23·0 (sd 10·0) g/d) than at 14 years (24·3 (sd 9·0) g/d, P < 0·001). The quantity of dietary fibre consumed per megajoule also decreased (2·6 (sd 0·7) g/MJ at 14 years, 2·5 (sd 0·9) g/MJ at 17 years, P = 0·007). The greatest source of dietary fibre was cereals and grains, followed by fruits, then vegetables. In multivariable mixed-model analysis, female sex, Caucasian race, age 14 years, good family functioning, high level of parental education and high energy intake were independently associated with higher dietary fibre intake.

Conclusions:

Our study highlights an age range and characteristics of adolescents lacking in dietary fibre, thereby identifying target populations for interventions to improve dietary fibre intake across adolescence, which would lead to better health.

Information

Type
Research paper
Copyright
© The Authors 2019
Figure 0

Fig. 1 Number of participants in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study at 14- and 17-year follow-ups and number with complete variables at each age. ‘Complete dietary data’ includes FFQ items, dietary fibre intake and energy intake. ‘Complete data’ includes dietary data and all familial factors examined in the present study

Figure 1

Table 1 Characteristics of adolescents and their families who participated in the 14- and 17-year follow-ups of Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study

Figure 2

Table 2 Mean dietary fibre intake at age 14 years and 17 years, overall and by sex (paired), in adolescents participating in the 14- and 17-year follow-ups of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study

Figure 3

Fig. 2 Percentage of dietary fibre intake obtained from each group of foods at age 14 years (n 1626; ) and age 17 years (n 835; ), overall (a) and in females (b) and males (c) separately, in adolescents participating in the 14- and 17-year follow-ups of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. Values are means with their standard deviations represented by vertical bars. Discretionary foods include biscuits, pizza and cakes (full food group contents are listed in the online supplementary material, Supplemental Table S1)

Figure 4

Table 3 Mixed-model analysis of associations of familial factors with dietary fibre intake, adjusted only for energy intake, in adolescents participating in the 14- and 17-year follow-ups of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study

Figure 5

Table 4 Multivariable mixed-model analysis of associations of familial factors with dietary fibre intake in adolescents participating in the 14- and 17-year follow-ups of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study

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