Eating avocados improves teen diets according to new US research
Avocado consumption was associated with higher diet quality and a higher intake of plant-based foods overall, but not with measures of obesity or body composition, in a group of US adolescents.
The paper reports the results of a cross-sectional study which examined dietary intake via a food frequency questionnaire and anthropometric measures in a group of 12-18-year-old teenagers.
Compared to non-consumers, avocado consumers had significantly higher covariate-adjusted mean scores on total dietary quality, and higher energy-adjusted mean scores for dietary variety and adequacy.
Avocado consumers also had higher mean intakes of fruits, vegetables, plant protein foods, total protein, dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium than non-avocado consumers.
There was no association between avocado consumption and BMI z-score (BMI adjusted for age and sex), waist to hip ratio, fat-mass, fat-free mass or percentage body fat.
Practice Tips
- The teen years can be a risky time for nutritional wellbeing, but avocados can help
- Educate parents to include or encourage avocados in teen meals and snacks
- Provide simple usage ideas for teens to prepare themselves, such as smashed avo on toast and green smoothies with avocado
Reference:
Segovia-Siapco G, Paalani M, Oda K, Pribis P, Sabaté J. Associations between Avocado Consumption and Diet Quality, Dietary Intake, Measures of Obesity and Body Composition in Adolescents: The Teen Food and Development Study. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 15;13(12):4489. doi.org/10.3390/nu13124489
