Association between Diet-Quality Scores, Adiposity, Total Cholesterol and Markers of Nutritional Status in European Adults: Findings from the Food4Me Study

Rosalind Fallaize, Katherine M. Livingstone, Carlos Celis-Morales, Anna L. Macready, Rodrigo San-Cristobal, Santiago Navas-Carretero, Cyril F. M. Marsaux, Clare B. O'Donovan, Silvia Kolossa, George Moschonis, Marianne C. Walsh, Eileen R. Gibney, Lorraine Brennan, Jildau Bouwman, Yannis Manios, Miroslaw Jarosz, J. Alfredo Martinez, Hannelore Daniel, Wim H. M. Saris, Thomas E. GundersenChristian A. Drevon, Michael J. Gibney, John C. Mathers, Julie A. Lovegrove*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Diet-quality scores (DQS), which are developed across the globe, are used to define adherence to specific eating patterns and have been associated with risk of coronary heart disease and type-II diabetes. We explored the association between five diet-quality scores (Healthy Eating Index, HEI; Alternate Healthy Eating Index, AHEI; MedDietScore, MDS; PREDIMED Mediterranean Diet Score, P-MDS; Dutch Healthy Diet-Index, DHDI) and markers of metabolic health (anthropometry, objective physical activity levels (PAL), and dried blood spot total cholesterol (TC), total carotenoids, and omega-3 index) in the Food4Me cohort, using regression analysis. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Participants (n = 1480) were adults recruited from seven European Union (EU) countries. Overall, women had higher HEI and AHEI than men (p < 0.05), and scores varied significantly between countries. For all DQS, higher scores were associated with lower body mass index, lower waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference, and higher total carotenoids and omega-3-index (p trends < 0.05). Higher HEI, AHEI, DHDI, and P-MDS scores were associated with increased daily PAL, moderate and vigorous activity, and reduced sedentary behaviour (p trend < 0.05). We observed no association between DQS and TC. To conclude, higher DQS, which reflect better dietary patterns, were associated with markers of better nutritional status and metabolic health.
Original languageEnglish
Article number49
Pages (from-to)1-15
Number of pages15
JournalNutrients
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Jan 2018

Keywords

  • diet scores
  • metabolic health
  • personalized nutrition
  • Healthy Eating Index
  • Mediterranean Diet Score
  • Dutch Healthy Diet Index
  • nutritional biomarkers
  • dried blood spots
  • HEALTHY EATING INDEX
  • CORONARY-HEART-DISEASE
  • LIFE-STYLE FACTORS
  • DRIED BLOOD SPOTS
  • PLASMA CAROTENOIDS
  • MEDITERRANEAN DIET
  • PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
  • OMEGA-3 INDEX
  • PERSONALIZED NUTRITION
  • 10-YEAR MORTALITY
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Nutritive Value
  • Anthropometry
  • Healthy Diet
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Young Adult
  • Adiposity
  • Cholesterol/blood
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers/blood
  • Female
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Nutritional Status
  • Europe
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Behavior
  • Adolescent
  • Aged

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