Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are known to be the number one cause of death worldwide. Among the most commonly recognized risk factors for CVD are high levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TGs), hypertension, insulin resistance, overall body fatness, central adiposity, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and poor cardiorespiratory fitness. Lifestyle choices, such as diet quality and activity level, can have an influence on these risk factors. For instance, getting moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA) has been associated with increased cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body fatness, reduced insulin resistance, and a better lipid profile as well as blood pressure. Consuming a quality diet has also been linked
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Data on 1513 adolescents, ranging from age 12.5 to 17.5 years, were obtained from the HELENA-Cross-Sectional Study (HELENA-CSS) conducted in Europe between 2006 and 2007. Each participant completed a 24-hour dietary recall on two nonconsecutive days within a two week period using the HELENA-DIAT (Dietary Assessment Tool). A Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) was developed from the data collected and diet quality of each individual was calculated. DQI-A score was based on the average of three components expressed in percentages, which included dietary equilibrium, dietary diversity, and dietary quality. A higher score was equated to a higher diet quality. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometry over seven consecutive days. Participants were then categorized into one of four lifestyle groups. The groups included healthy diet and active, unhealthy diet but active, healthy diet but inactive, and unhealthy diet and inactive. Cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometrics, and blood pressure were also measured in all participants. A smaller group of 481 participants had blood samples drawn for biochemical analyses of CVD risk factors. Each risk factor was expressed as a z-score for easy comparison. The z-scores of these risk factors were then averaged to obtain a CVD risk score for each …show more content…
Furthermore, they found evidence that an active lifestyle may hinder the adverse effects of an unhealthy diet. A healthy diet, however, was not shown to offset the consequences of an inactive lifestyle. These results may have implications for future public health efforts to reduce the risk of CVD. While an active lifestyle was shown in this study to have a greater affect on CVD risk, the importance of a healthy diet cannot be understated. Since this was a cross-sectional study, it provides no evidence to support that an active lifestyle would continue to counteract the effects of an unhealthy diet over time. Furthermore, the influence of diet on CVD risk factors may have been underestimated because it was evaluated in a subjective manner, whereas physical activity was measured objectively. Thus, the findings of this study should be considered in the context of its potential limitations. For dietetic professionals this would mean recognizing that both diet and physical activity may play a role in the development of CVD. As such, individuals should be encouraged to follow an overall healthy lifestyle that includes both a high quality diet and an adequate amount of physical
Data on 1513 adolescents, ranging from age 12.5 to 17.5 years, were obtained from the HELENA-Cross-Sectional Study (HELENA-CSS) conducted in Europe between 2006 and 2007. Each participant completed a 24-hour dietary recall on two nonconsecutive days within a two week period using the HELENA-DIAT (Dietary Assessment Tool). A Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) was developed from the data collected and diet quality of each individual was calculated. DQI-A score was based on the average of three components expressed in percentages, which included dietary equilibrium, dietary diversity, and dietary quality. A higher score was equated to a higher diet quality. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometry over seven consecutive days. Participants were then categorized into one of four lifestyle groups. The groups included healthy diet and active, unhealthy diet but active, healthy diet but inactive, and unhealthy diet and inactive. Cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometrics, and blood pressure were also measured in all participants. A smaller group of 481 participants had blood samples drawn for biochemical analyses of CVD risk factors. Each risk factor was expressed as a z-score for easy comparison. The z-scores of these risk factors were then averaged to obtain a CVD risk score for each …show more content…
Furthermore, they found evidence that an active lifestyle may hinder the adverse effects of an unhealthy diet. A healthy diet, however, was not shown to offset the consequences of an inactive lifestyle. These results may have implications for future public health efforts to reduce the risk of CVD. While an active lifestyle was shown in this study to have a greater affect on CVD risk, the importance of a healthy diet cannot be understated. Since this was a cross-sectional study, it provides no evidence to support that an active lifestyle would continue to counteract the effects of an unhealthy diet over time. Furthermore, the influence of diet on CVD risk factors may have been underestimated because it was evaluated in a subjective manner, whereas physical activity was measured objectively. Thus, the findings of this study should be considered in the context of its potential limitations. For dietetic professionals this would mean recognizing that both diet and physical activity may play a role in the development of CVD. As such, individuals should be encouraged to follow an overall healthy lifestyle that includes both a high quality diet and an adequate amount of physical