Energy and nutrient intakes in relation to sex and socio-economic status among school adolescents in urban Cameroon, Africa

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 904 - 913
• Main Authors: Dapi, Léonie N, Hörnell, Agneta, Janlert, Urban, Stenlund, Hans, Larsson, Christel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2011; CABI Pub. on behalf of the Nutrition Society
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology; Adolescents; Body Mass Index; boys; Cameroon; Carbohydrates; Cassava; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Economics; Energy; energy expenditure; Energy Intake; Energy Intake - physiology; Energy Metabolism; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; fat intake; Female; Food; food intake; Girls; Humans; iron; Male; Metabolism; niacin; nutrient intake; Nutrient status; Nutrition and Dietetics; Nutritional Status; Nutritive Value; Näringslära och dietkunskap; physical activity; physiology; Puberty; Public health; riboflavin; Schools; Self Disclosure; Sex Factors; Social Class; Social, economic, political and environmental determinants; Socioeconomic Factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; statistics & numerical data; Students; Teenagers; thiamin; under/overreporting; Urban Population; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data; Vitamins; Cameroon; Africa; Energy intake; Socio-economic status; Cameroon; Nutrient intake; Adolescents; Under-reporting
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980010003150

Objective To assess energy and nutrient intakes and physical activity of adolescents in urban Cameroon according to sex and socio-economic status (SES). Design Cross-sectional study with adolescents randomly selected from schools in low-, middle- and high-SES areas. Weight and height were measured and information about food intake and physical activity was obtained through repeated individual 24 h recalls. Under- and over-reporting of energy intake and inadequacy of nutrient intake were assessed. Setting Yaoundé, Cameroon. Subjects Boys and girls aged 12–16 years (n 227). Results Boys had a lower BMI and reported higher energy expenditures and physical activity levels (PAL) than girls. Under-reporting of energy intake was large among boys and girls regardless of PAL; boys under-reported more than girls. Among those with low PAL, over-reporting of energy intake was common. Over 50 % of boys and girls had protein below the recommendations. The intake of fat varied; 26 % of the adolescents were below and 25 % were above the recommendations. Inadequate intakes of vitamin B1, vitamin B3 and Fe were more common among girls, while boys more often had inadequate intake of vitamin A. Adolescents with low SES were more likely to be below the recommendations for fat and vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12 than those with high SES. Conclusions A high proportion of boys and girls reported inadequate intakes. However under- and over-reporting were also very common. Boys under-reported energy intake more than girls and inadequate nutrient intake was more frequently reported by adolescents with low SES than by those with high SES.