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Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the associations between portion sizes (PSs) from different food groups and energy, as well as nutrient intakes in European adolescents., Methods: A sample of 1631 adolescents (54.2 % girls) were included from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional (HELENA) study. Mean food PS was calculated by dividing the total intake of the items by the number of eating occasions of these consumed items. To determine the key items for analysis, foods were ranked by frequency of consumption. A one-way between-groups analysis of covariance was used to test for significant differences in means across tertiles. A multivariable linear regression analysis was carried out, adjusting for age, sex, maternal education, body mass index, and using country as a level., Results: Energy intake increased with elevated intakes of energy-dense foods. Large portions of rice and other grains, starch roots and potatoes, and meat substitutes, nuts, and pulses were associated with increased carbohydrate and fiber intake. Larger portions of cheese and butter and animal fat were significantly associated with a higher fat intake. Lower intakes of some vitamins and micronutrients were noticed with consumption of larger portions of high energy-dense foods, such as desserts and pudding, margarine and vegetable oil, and butter and animal fat., Conclusions: Large food PSs may be associated with positive energy, as well as macro- and micronutrient intake. Moreover, the findings from this study may help the future development of dietary guidance in general and specific to PSs, and support targeted strategies to address intakes of certain nutrients in European adolescents., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Previous research showed that low concentration of biomarkers in the blood during adolescence (i.e., iron status; retinol; and vitamins B6, B12, C, and D) may be involved in the early stages of development of many chronic diseases, such as hypertension. The aim was to evaluate if iron biomarkers and vitamins in the blood are associated with blood pressure in European adolescents., Methods: Participants from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence cross-sectional study (N = 1089; 12.5-17.5 y; 580 girls) were selected by complex sampling. Multilevel linear regression models examined the associations between iron biomarkers and vitamins in the blood and blood pressure; the analyses were stratified by sex and adjusted for contextual and individual potential confounders., Results: A positive association was found in girls between RBC folate concentration and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β = 3.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-5.77), although no association between the vitamin serum biomarkers concentrations and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was found. In boys, retinol was positively associated with DBP (β = 3.84; 95% CI, 0.51-7.17) and vitamin B6 was positively associated with SBP (β = 3.82; 95% CI, 1.46-6.18). In contrast, holotranscobalamin was inversely associated with SBP (β = -3.74; 95% CI, -7.28 to -0.21)., Conclusions: Levels of RBC folate and vitamin B6 in blood may affect BP in adolescents. In this context, programs aimed at avoiding high BP levels should promote healthy eating behavior by focusing on the promotion of vegetable proteins and foods rich in vitamin B12 (i.e., white meat and eggs), which may help to achieve BP blood control in adolescents., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sleep patterns face important changes during adolescence. This can have implications for the immune system, which is regulated by the sleep-wake cycle; however, most studies relating sleep and immune system have been conducted on adults., Objective: To study the relationships between sleep duration, immune cell counts, and cytokines in European adolescents participating in the HELENA Cross-Sectional Study., Methods: Adolescents (12.5-17.5 years; n = 933; 53.9% girls) were grouped according to self-reported sleep duration into <8, 8-8.9 and ≥9 h/night. Blood samples were collected in the morning after an overnight fast to analyze counts of white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, the lymphocyte subsets CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD45RA(+), CD45RO(+), CD3(-)CD16(+)56(+) and CD19(+), and concentrations of cortisol, CRP, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ. Pro-/anti-inflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios were calculated. Immune parameters were correlated to sleep duration and compared between the three groups., Results: Sleep duration was negatively associated with cortisol levels and WBC, neutrophil, monocyte, CD4(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+) counts; in girls it is also negatively associated with IL-5 and IL-6 levels. The 8-8.9 h/night group presented the highest IL-4 values and the lowest pro-/anti-inflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios., Conclusion: A sleep duration of 8-8.9 h/night was associated with a healthier immune profile in our adolescents., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)