Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Ascension Marcos
Spanish National Research Council, Spain
Keynote: The interactions between lifestyle and immunological biomarkers. The HELENA study
Time : 09:00-09:35
Biography:
Prof. Ascensión Marcos is a Research Professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and leading the Immunonutrition Research Group at CSIC since 1987. rnHer research is focused on Immunonutrition: 1.-Immunomodulation properties of nutrients, bioactive compounds and functional foods; 2.-Evaluation of the nutritional status of healthy subjects (children/adolescents, pregnant women, and elderly) and patients (eating disorders, obesity, celiac disease, intolerances, drug-addiction) within 83 research projects and 473 publications.rnPresident of International Society for Immunonutrition (ISIN) and Federation of Spanish Societies of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics (FESNAD), Vicepresident of Federation of European Nutrition Societies (FENS) and Spanish Society of Probiotics and Prebiotics (SEPyP).rn
Abstract:
Since the beginning of mankind, man has sought ways to promote and preserve health as well as to prevent disease. Adolescence is linked to key changes in lifestyle habits and psychological functioning. Physical activity (PA), sleep time, and body composition are key factors for enhancing human health, avoiding low-grade inflammation or reducing health problems, vascular, inflammatory diseases and influencing weight management; however, as in the case of drugs, dose, intensity, frequency, duration and precautions as well as age have to be evaluated and taken into account in order to get the maximum effectiveness and success of a therapy. Sleep patterns face important changes during adolescence and can have implications for the immune system, which is regulated by the sleep–wake cycle. Indeed, in the HELENA study a sleep duration of 8–8.9 h/night has been associated with a healthier immune profile in the European adolescents. In spite of the fact that inflammatory biomarkers are not usually detected until adulthood, atherosclerotic lesions may start to be developed during adolescence. Atherogenesis involves an inflammatory process that leads to plaque instability within the arterial wall, increasing blood levels of inflammatory acute-phase reactant proteins (e.g. CRP and complement factors) and cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α), which provide useful markers of low-grade inflammation. In conclusion, we highlight that the evaluation of the interaction between lifestyle and immunological biomarkers in the adolescence is of a great interest in order to detect and tackle possible risks of developing inflammatory processes at an early stage.
Keynote Forum
Luis A. Moreno
GENUD Research Group, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
Keynote: Sedentary behaviors and obesity in adolescents: The HELENA study
Time : 09:35-10:10
Biography:
Luis A. Moreno is Professor of Public Health at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). He is also Visiting Professor of Excellence at the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). He did his training as Medical Doctor and his PhD thesis at the University of Zaragoza. He studied Human Nutrition and Public and Community Health at the University of Nancy (France). He has participated in several research projects supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health, and the European commission (HELENA, IDEFICS, EURRECCA, ENERGY, ToyBox, iFamily and Feel4Diabetes). He has published more than 450 papers in peer reviewed journals.
Abstract:
The HELENA study is a cross-sectional survey on a sample of more than 3000 European adolescents (12.5 to 17.5 years), from 10 cities in 9 European countries. Representative and centralized sampling, strict standardization of methods and central data analysis contribute to the high scientific quality of the study. The proportion of teens accumulating 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day was 58% in boys and 31% in girls. However, it is not only important to assess the lack of physical activity, but also to identify behaviors during sedentary time. The most deleterious behavior in terms of health indicators is excess TV watching. It is associated with obesity development in children and adolescents. The main determinant of excess TV watching is to have a TV set in the adolescent bedroom. A high percentage of adolescents have a TV set in their bedroom. An important public health measure to prevent obesity in adolescents would be to remove the TV set from the bedroom. It is also recommended not to spend more than 2 hours per day in front of a screen. To reduce sedentary time in adolescents should contribute to reduce overweight, obesity, and their metabolic complications.rnrnThe HELENA Study takes place with the financial support of the European Community Sixth RTD Framework Programme (Contract FOOD-CT-2005-007034). The content of this abstract reflects only the author’s views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.rn rn
Keynote Forum
Marcela González-Gross
Technical University of Madrid, Spain
Keynote: Vitamin status in European adolescents: Contribution of the HELENA study to Public Health
Time : 10:10-10:45
Biography:
Marcela González Gross. Full Professor of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences of the Technical University of Madrid. Head of the Research Group on nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyle (ImFINE) (http://imfine.es/). Vice-president of the Spanish Nutrition Society. Manager of Exercise is Medicine-Spain. Founding member of EXERNET (Research Network on Physical Activity and Health), www.spanishexernet.com and The European Plataform Active Ageing in Sport (EPAAS; www.isca-web.org). Member of Center for Biomedical Research Network on pathophysiology of obesity and nutrition (CIBERobn). Deputy coordinator in the HELENA study and responsible for the workpackage on blood biomarkers.
Abstract:
The main conclusions are the following:rn• For the first time, data on micronutrient status are presented using the same methodology in European adolescents, showing important associations with sex, age, physical activity, fitness and BMI. rn• More than 75% of the adolescents had sub-optimal vitamin D, 35% plasma folate, 20% vitamin B6 levels according to adults´ reference values. 71% of the females had RBC folate concentrations below 906 nmol/L, in relationship to folate-dependent Neural Tube Defects. Folate, vit D, E & C presented deficient intake.rn• Socioeconomic status has an influence on vitamin D, B12 and folate concentrations. rn• Sex should be considered when analyzing vitamin C, alfa-tocoferol, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and tHcy concentrations.rn• Age should be considered when analyzing plasma folate, holo-TC, RBC folate and tHcy in males and beta-carotene, PF, Cbl and tHcy in females. Retinol in both.rn• A relationship between vitamin D concentrations and bone mineral content was observed in physically active adolescents.rn• Regarding cardiorespiratory fitness, retinol and vitamin C were associated in males and beta-carotene and vitamin D in females. Regarding muscular fitness, beta-carotene, retinol and alfa-tocoferol were associated in males and beta-carotene and vitamin D in females.rn• As some vitamin deficiencies have been observed, public health measures should be taken, as an adequate vitamin status is essential for optimal growth and development.rn
Keynote Forum
Inge Huybrechts
International Agency for Research on Cancer, France
Keynote: Dietary intake patterns, determinants, influences and health consequences
Time : 11:10-11:45
Biography:
Inge Huybrechts is a nutritional epidemiologist and methodologist and has more than 15 years of experience in nutrition research with an important focus on obesity prevention. She obtained a PhD in Medical Sciences from the Ghent University and has investigated lifestyle causes (diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep behavior and stress) and health, addressed by methods in clinical and general epidemiology. She is author in more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, published in reputed journals within the fields of nutrition, epidemiology and obesity. She coordinated several projects in the field of epidemiology and public health in the past 10 years.
Abstract:
The Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study aimed to investigate different lifestyle factors and health outcomes among European adolescents. Their dietary intake was assessed via different complementary methods. The aim of this presentation is to summarize the main dietary intake patterns derived from the HELENA study, as well as the most important determinants and health consequences of the adolescents’ dietary patterns. Adolescents’ breakfast consumption was associated with lower body fat content and healthier cardiovascular profile, though only half of the adolescents could be categorised as breakfast consumers. Their food intake results in comparison with the guidelines urge the need to improve their dietary habits. More in particular the consumption of fruits and vegetables should be promoted, while the consumption of meat, fats and sweets should decrease. Sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) are the most important energy contributor from all liquids consumed by European adolescents and was related with increased insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).rnAdolescents with better diet quality were less at risk for IR when having higher physical activity (PA) as well. The energy % from dietary fat intake was strongly linearly associated with total, truncal and abdominal adiposity independently of the PA level in adolescents. Adolescent’s total diet quality was positively correlated with both paternal & maternal educational level (more pronounced in northern Europe) and with parental occupational level. Public health initiatives should educate children & adolescents regarding balanced food choices and PA in order to prevent diseases in later life.rn