Differences in dietary intake and activity level between normal-weight andoverweight or obese adolescents

Background: To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in an a dolescent group representative of a rural Mediterranean area and to determi ne possible associations with energy and nutrient intakes and levels of phy sical exercise. Methods: A representative sample of adolescents was drawn from the secondar y school of Torre Pacheco (Murcia), a rural Mediterranean area located in t he southeast of Spain. The population selected (331 adolescents aged 14-18 years), was divided into two groups: normal-weight subjects with a body mas s index less than 23 kg/m(2) and overweight or obese subjects with a body m ass index of 23 kg/m(2) or more. Weight, height, abdominal acid hip perimet ers, triceps skinfold, and upper arm circumference were measure. A prospect ive 7-consecutive-days food record and physical activity questionnaire were completed. Results: Overweight boys and girls had an apparently lower energy intake (P = 0.001 and P = 0.042, respectively), and carbohydrate intake (P = 0.000, P = 0.032) than their normal-weight counterparts, but they tended to underr eport more often. Overweight boys derived a greater percentage of their ene rgy from fat (P = 0.049) and less from carbohydrate (P = 0.016) than their normal-weight counterparts. Among girls, the per centage of energy derived from fat increased with body mass index (r = 0.210, P = 0.008), whereas fib er intake decreased (r = -0.145: P = 0.041), Overweight and obesity were ne gatively related to physical activity level only among boys (P = 0.033). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the ado lescent population studied (48.2% in boys and 30.7% in girls). The study sh ows an association between overweight and obesity and nutrient intake and a ctivity level. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.