Inga Thorsdottir

The aim of the study was to validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) measuring seafood intake among young adults in Europe. Participants from Iceland, Spain and Ireland (n=56), aged 20–40, filled out a pre-coded FFQ on seafood. One week after filling out the questionnaire, the participants started a 7–14-day food record (FR). The FFQ was found suitable to rank young

Before starting interventions addressing energy-balance related behaviors, knowledge is needed about the prevalence of sedentary behaviors and low physical exercise, their interrelationships, possible gender differences. Therefore this study aimed to describe gender differences in sedentary and physical exercise behaviors and their association with overweight status in children from nine European countries. Additionally, to identify clusters of children sharing the same pattern regarding sedentary and physical exercise behavior and compare these groups regarding overweight status. Cross-sectional study among 11-year-old children in nine countries (n = 12538). Self-administered questionnaires assessed the time spent on TV viewing during dinner and during the day, PC use and on physical exercise. The parents reported children's weight and height. Descriptive statistics, cluster analyses, and logistic regression analyses were used for data analyses. Boys spent more time on sedentar...

Fruit and vegetable consumption is traditionally low in Iceland. The results of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey showed that the consumption was lowest among children in Iceland. The aim of this study was to identify determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old schoolchildren in Iceland. A cross-sectional survey was performed in Iceland in the autumn of 2003 as a part of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey. The survey was designed to provide information on actual consumption levels of vegetables and fruits by 11-year-old school children and to assess potential determinants of consumption patterns. A total of 1235 Icelandic children (89%) from 32 randomly chosen schools participated. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to determine the explained variance of the children's fruit and vegetable intake. In these analyses socio-demographic background variables were entered as a first block, perceived physical-environmental variables as a second block, ...

To investigate the associations of iron status at 6 years of age with dietary and other factors. In a cross-sectional study, children's dietary intakes (3-day weighed food record) were recorded, body size was measured and blood samples were taken near their sixth birthday. A sample of 188 children, from two previous studies (cohorts 1 and 2), was contacted, and 139 (74%) agreed to participate. Multiple regression analyses with dietary and other factors showed that meat and fish consumption, multivitamin/mineral supplement intake (both positively) and cow's milk product consumption (negatively) were associated with log serum ferritin (SF) (adjusted R (2)=0.125; P=0.028; n=129), and juices and residence (rural>urban) with haemoglobin (Hb) (adjusted R (2)=0.085; P=0.034; n=127). Of 21 multivitamin/mineral consumers, none had depleted iron stores compared to 21 iron-depleted of 108 non-consumers (P=0.024). Children living in rural areas (<10,000 inhabitants) (n=33) had higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (83.3+/-2.3 fl) than those living in urban areas (>10,000 inhabitants) (82.1+/-3.2 fl; n=103) (P=0.048). Multiple regression analyses with dietary and other factors and growth showed in cohort 1 that residence (rural>urban), weight gain 0-1years (negatively), and meat and fish intake (positively) were associated with Hb (adjusted R (2)=0.323; P=0.030; n=51), meat and fish (positively) with both log SF (adjusted R (2)=0.069; P=0.035; n=52) and MCV (adjusted R (2)=0.064; P=0.035; n=52), and in cohort 2 cow's milk product consumption (negatively) was associated with log SF (adjusted R (2)=0.119; P=0.017; n=41) and residence (rural>urban) with MCV (adjusted R (2)=0.102; P=0.025; n=41). Consumption of meat and fish and possibly also juices, as well as multivitamin/mineral intake might affect iron status in 6-year-old children positively, whereas cow's milk product consumption might affect iron status negatively. Slower growth in the first year of life and rural residence are positively related to iron status of 6-year-olds.

Validity and reproducibility were evaluated of a new questionnaire to assess fruit and vegetable intakes in 11- to 12-year-old children. The precoded teacher-assisted self-administered questionnaire included two sections: a 24-hour recall part and a food frequency part. Validity was tested in 4 countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Portugal; n = 43-60 per country) using a 1-day weighed food record and 7-day food records as reference methods. Test-retest (7-12 days apart) reproducibility was assessed in 6 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Spain; n = 60-74 per country). Spearman rank correlations for fruit and vegetable intake according to the frequency part and the 7-day food record ranged between r = 0.40-0.53. Between 25-50% were classified into the same quartile and 70-88% into the same or adjacent quartile. Test-retest Spearman rank correlations for the food frequency part were r = 0.47-0.84. Three countries showed no significant difference between fruit intake as assessed with the 24-hour recall part and the 1-day weighed food record, and 2 countries showed no significant difference for vegetables. In the other countries, the 24-hour recall part resulted in substantially higher mean intake levels. Validity and reproducibility as to ranking of subjects were regarded to be satisfactory in all countries. Group mean intake, based on the original 24-hour part, was valid for fruit in 3 countries and for vegetables in 2 countries, and this part was subsequently adjusted to avoid overestimation, before the questionnaire was used in the Pro Children study.

The incidence of Type 1 diabetes is lower in Iceland than in the other 4 Nordic Countries. Earlier studies have showed that the cow milk proteins A1 and B beta-casein, suggested to be diabetogenic, are in lower amount in Icelandic cow milk than in milk from the other 4 Nordic Countries, and the per capita consumption of these proteins correlates with the incidence of Type 1 diabetes. To investigate whether lower consumption of the cow milk protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) (suggested to be diabetogenic) or higher consumption of immunoglobulin (Ig) or lactoferrin (LF) (suggested to be protective) is related to the lower incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Iceland. The per capita consumption of milk proteins was calculated from an international database on consumption of milk and milk products and from the analysis of cow's milk samples. The samples were randomly collected from the largest consumption areas in Iceland and in the other 4 Nordic Countries. The per capita consumption of BSA was higher in Iceland (0.79 +/- 0.02 g/person per day) (mean +/- SEM) than in the other 4 Nordic Countries (0.43 +/- 0.05 g/person per day) (p = 0.025). The per capita consumption of Ig was also higher in Iceland than in the other 4 Nordic Countries (p = 0.025), while the consumption of LF was similar. Consumption of these 3 individual milk proteins did not correlate with the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in the 5 countries studied. Consumption of BSA, Ig or LF does not seem to explain the lower incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Iceland, compared with the other 4 Nordic Countries, while A1 and B beta-casein may contribute to varying diabetogenicity of cow's milk and explain the difference in incidence of Type 1 diabetes.

To compare the consumption of the cow milk proteins A1 and B beta-casein among children and adolescents in Iceland and Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland) as this might explain the lower incidence of type 1 diabetes (per 100,000/year, 0-14 years) in Iceland. The consumption of A1 beta-casein in each country among 2- and 11- to 14-year-old children was calculated from results on food intake and on cow milk protein concentration. The consumption values were then compared and evaluated against the incidence of type 1 diabetes. There was a significant difference between the consumption of A1 (p = 0.034) as well as the sum of A1 and B (p = 0.021) beta-casein in Iceland and Scandinavia for 2-year-old children. In the same age group, consumption of A1 beta-casein correlated with the incidence of type 1 diabetes in the countries (r = 0.9; p = 0.037). No significant difference in consumption of A1 or the sum of A1 and B beta-casein was found for 11- to 14-year-old adolescents. This study supports that lower consumption of A1 beta-casein might be related to the lower incidence of type 1 diabetes in Iceland than in Scandinavia. Additionally it indicates that consumption in young childhood might be of more importance for the development of the disease incidence than consumption in adolescence.

To assess the relationship between size and growth measurements in infancy to body mass index (BMI) at 6 y. A longitudinal observation study on randomly chosen infants' growth and consumption in infancy. Follow-up until the age of 6 y. A total of 90 children who were born healthy and full-term. Weight and height were measured at maternity wards and healthcare centers in Iceland throughout infancy and at 6 y. Food records were made every month during infancy. At 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months, food was weighed to calculate food and nutrient intake. Weight gain from birth to 12 months as a ratio of birth weight was positively related to BMI at the age of 6 y in both genders (B=2.9+/-1.0, P=0.008, and B=2.0+/-0.9, P=0.032 for boys and girls, respectively). Boys in the highest quartile of protein intake (E%) at the age of 9-12 months had significantly higher BMI (17.8+/-2.4 kg/m(2)) at 6 y than the lowest (15.6+/-1.0 kg/m(2), P=0.039) and the second lowest (15.3+/-0.8 kg/m(2), P=0.01) quartile. Energy intake was not different between groups. Together, weight gain at 0-12 months and protein intake at 9-12 months explained 50% of the variance in BMI among 6-y-old boys. Rapid growth during the first year of life is associated with increased BMI at the age of 6 y in both genders. In boys, high intake of protein in infancy could also contribute to childhood obesity.

Overweight and obesity are increasing in young adults. However, moderate energy restriction aimed at lowering body weight may promote bone turnover and bone loss. Inclusion of fish or fish oils in a weight-loss diet may attenuate these adverse skeletal effects. We examined the effects of incorporating fish or fish oil into an energy-restricted diet on bone turnover markers in young overweight adults. While following a strict hypoenergetic (-30% relative to estimated requirements) diet for 8 wk, 276 overweight men and women [body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 27.5-32.5; age: 20-40 y) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary groups: sunflower-oil capsules (3 g/d; control), cod (3 x 150 g/wk), salmon (3 x 150 g/wk), and fish-oil capsules (3 g/d). Body weight, bone biomarkers, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured at baseline and endpoint. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and general linear models. The mean (+/-SD) weight loss was 5.14 +/- 3.0 kg (5.8% +/- 3.2% ...

To study the differences between children's self-reports and parents' reports on environmental determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old children in the European country with the lowest reported consumption. A second objective was to examine the observed variance in fruit and vegetable intake among the children. A cross-sectional survey was performed in Iceland as a part of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey. Children's usual fruit and vegetable intake and its determinants were assessed through self-reports from the children (n 963) and their parents' reports. Children reported lower availability and accessibility of fruits at home than did their parents, while the reports of children and parents for vegetables were more in agreement. A larger proportion of the observed variance in children's fruit and vegetable intake could be explained by the child's perception than by the parent's perception of determinants. The strongest determinants for fruit and vegetable intake according to the children's reports were availability at home, modelling, demanding family rule and knowledge of recommendations. The strongest modelling determinant for fruit was the father's fruit intake while for vegetables it was eating vegetables together with the family. Eleven-year-old children should be asked themselves what determines their fruit and vegetable intake. However, children reported determinants in the physical and social environment, of which the parents are a part, as an important determinant for their intake. Interventions aiming to increase fruit and vegetable intake among children must therefore target the parents.