Abstract

Author(s): Salvador Soler, Noemí1,2; Lagos Hernández, Roberto2; Grupo de Profesores de Educación Física2; Valdés Badilla, Pablo3,4

Introduction: Information regarding the relationship of the body self-perception with the intake of lipids and micronutrients is scarce in school adolescents. The present study was designed to correlate this nutritional intake with the body self-perception in a school population 13 to 16 years old from diverse educational establishments of Temuco, Chile

Methods: The sample included 132 students (46% women). The body image was obtained by the Body Shape Questionnaire and the intake of lipids (saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol) as well as micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) was obtained by means of 24-hour recall questionnaire.

Results: Regarding the body image concern, a 14.4% presented slight concern, a 9.1% moderate concern and a 1.5% extreme concern. The nutritional intake, the adolescents reported a consumption of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids of 3.8% and 3.7%, respectively, and an average consumption of 162 mg/day cholesterol. The lower adecuation percentages were obtained for the potassium (0%), calcium (8%), magnesium (19%), folic acid (14%), vitamins A and E (20%), and the vitamin B12 (27%). Significant correlations were obtained between the body image concern and the consumption of calcium and vitamin A.

Conclusion: the Chilean adolescents evaluated with low intake of calcium and high intake of vitamin A have an increased concern for the body image. In addition, different results were obtained by gender, in the case of males the body image concern was related with a high intake of cholesterol, and in women, with high intake of vitamins A and E.