Background: Adolescence is a decisive period in human life due to the multiple physiological and psychological changes that take place. These changes will condition both nutritional requirements and eating/physical activity behavior. It has been demonstrated that these "adolescence" factors are of significant influence in health status during adult life. Due to its importance and adequate development the project has been granted by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria of the Institute of Health Carlos III.
Objective: To develop a methodology to evaluate the health and nutritional status of a representative population of Spanish adolescents. Specific attention is paid to three specific health problems: obesity, anorexia nervosa/bulimia, dislipidemia.
Methodology: The following magnitudes will be studied: 1) dietary intake, food habits and nutrition knowledge; 2) daily physical activity and personal approach; 3) physical condition; 4) anthropometry and body composition; 5) hematobiochemical study: plasma lipid phenotypic and metabolic profile, blood cell counts; 6) genotipic profile of cardiovascular risk lipid factors; 7) immune function profile related to nutritional status; 8) psychological profile.
Conclusion: This project includes the co-ordinate activity of five Spanish centers of five different cities (Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander, Zaragoza). Each center is specialized in a specific area and will be responsible for the corresponding part of the study. From the data obtained, we will elaborate a specific intervention program in order to improve nutrition and neutralize the risk for nutritional related problems in adolescence. By this, we will contribute to improve the health status of the Spanish population in the new millennium.