Consumption of polyphenols in adolescents and cardiovascular health

Polyphenols are bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are found in various foods of plant origin, mainly in fruits, vegetables, nuts and olive oil. Until now, there have been few studies on the intake of polyphenols in children and adolescents.

A new study on the effects of polyphenol consumption has focused on this population.

The study was carried out by specialists from the University of Barcelona (UB), the Clinical Hospital of Barcelona, ​​the August Pi and Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) of Barcelona, ​​the SHE Foundation of Barcelona, ​​the Center for Biomedical Research Network of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), and the Center for Biomedical Research Network of Cardiovascular Diseases (CIBERCV), in Spain.

Within the framework of the study, the amount of polyphenols in the urine of 1,326 adolescents participating in the SI! Program was analyzed. (Integral Health) of secondary education in 24 educational centers in Madrid and Barcelona.

The results of the study reveal that the consumption of polyphenols in adolescents is associated with better cardiovascular health.

As the stage of life that includes childhood and adolescence is decisive and marks in many aspects the cardiovascular health of the adult stage, the findings made in this research are relevant to encourage similar studies in other countries in Europe and the rest of the world. , as well as to initiate clinical trials aimed at confirming the effect and dose-response relationship of polyphenols on cardiovascular health from infancy.

The apple is a fruit with a high content of polyphenols. (Photo: Amazings/NCYT)

“From the results of this study, we observed that a higher urinary polyphenol excretion is linearly associated with a higher cardiovascular health index in compromised adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14 years, especially in boys. This cardiovascular health index is defined by the criteria established by the American Heart Association (AHA), which considers seven variables: body mass index, physical activity, smoking, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol and blood glucose. emphasizes Professor Rosa M. Lamuela, director of the Institute for Research in Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA, of the UB), head of the Natural Antioxidants Research Group at the University of Barcelona and principal investigator of the CIBEROBN.

“Although this is a cross-sectional study and the causality of this relationship cannot be seen, the scientific literature and previous studies carried out by our research group show us that polyphenols have a protective effect on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in adults. », concludes the professor.

The YES Program! It is designed by the SHE Foundation, an entity that has the support of the La Caixa Foundation and has been directed by the cardiologist Valentín Fuster. This initiative is aimed at boys and girls from 3 to 16 years old with the aim of demonstrating that the acquisition of healthy habits from childhood reduces the risks of suffering from cardiovascular diseases and improves the quality of life in adulthood.

The study is entitled “Total urinary polyphenols and ideal cardiovascular health metrics in Spanish adolescents enrolled in the SI Program: a cross-sectional study.” And it has been published in the academic journal Scientific Reports. (Source: UB)