Dietary Trends in Energy, Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, Sodium and Potassium Intake by Urbanicity Index in Chinese Adolescents from 1991 to 2011

Undergraduates: Alice Yunzi Yu, Nancy Lopez-Olmedo

Faculty Advisor: Barry Popkin
Department: Nutrition

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This study examines nutrition transition in Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old. Changes in macronutrient composition of diet and intake levels of sodium and potassium were analyzed for temporal trends. Dietary data was collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey using individual level, consecutive 3-day 24-hour recalls from survey years 1991 (n=489), 2000 (n=677), and 2011 (n=253). Sodium and potassium were analyzed as Na/K ratios. Linear regression models of macronutrient and Na/K ratio intakes were constructed to predict means with respective standard errors and adjusted for covariate sociodemographic variables. From 1991 to 2011, energy intake decreased in low, middle, and high urbanicity cohorts (2592 kcal/d to 1691 kcal/d, p<0.001; 2382 kcal/d to 1804 kcal/d, p<0.001; 2358 kcal/d to 1938 kcal/day, p<0.001 respectively). Percent carbohydrate intake of daily calories decreased in all three urbanicity cohorts (68.1% to 57.9%, p<0.001; 61.7% to 53.6%, p<0.002; 62.0% to 53.2%, p<0.014 respectively). The low and middle urbanicity cohorts showed increased percent fat intake of daily calories (20.8% to 29.6%, p<0.001; 26.1% to 33.6%, p<0.004 respectively). For percent protein intake of daily calories, the low and high urbanicity cohorts showed significant increase (11.0% to 12.5%, p<0.001; 12.5% to 13.7%, p<0.0002 respectively). Na/K ratios decreased in all urbanicity cohorts (5.02 to 2.65, p<0.004; 4.21 to 3.49, p<0.0002; 3.41 to 2.33, p<0.0008 respectively).