Situación de folatos en escolares españoles y su asociación con la presencia del hábito tabáquico en los padres Folate status in spanish schoolchildren and its association with parental smoking habits

Abstract

Objetivo: Estudiar la situación de folatos de escolares españoles y su asociación con la presencia del hábito tabáquico en los padres. Métodos: Se estudiaron 511 escolares entre 9 y 12 años de Madrid (España). La información sobre el hábito tabáquico de los padres fue autodeclarada. La ingesta de energía y de nutrientes (especialmente folatos) se calculó utilizando el método de registro de alimentos durante tres días (de domingo a martes) y en dos de ellos (lunes y martes) se procedió a controlar los alimentos consumidos en el comedor escolar, utilizando el método de pesada precisa individual (pesando alimentos servidos y restos dejados en el plato). La ingesta de folatos se comparó con la ingesta recomendada (IR). Se analizaron las concentraciones séricas de folatos, vitamina B12 y homocisteína. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizaron los test de t-student, Mann Whitney, correlación de Pearson y Spearman, ANCOVA, MANCOVA y regresión lineal múltiple. Se consideraron valores significativos de P Aim: To study the folate status in a group of Spanish schoolchildren and its association with parental smoking habits. Methods: A group of 511 schoolchildren between 9 and 12 years old from Madrid (Spain) were studied. Parental smoking habits were self-reported by a questionnaire. Energy and nutrients intake (especially folates) were calculated with a "3-day diet record" and during two days (Monday and Tuesday) the food consumption was controlled in the school canteen using the "precise weighing method" (recording the weights of food served and leftovers on the plate). Folate intake of the sample was compared with the recommended intakes (RI) for this vitamin. Folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine were determined. Student's t-test, Mann Whitney Test, Pearson and Spearman correlation, ANCOVA, MANCOVA and multiple linear regression were applied for statistical analysis. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Vegetable and fruit consumption, folate intake and its coverage to recommended folate intake (I/RI%) and serum folate levels were higher in children of nonsmoking mothers than in children of smoking mothers. Serum folate level in 13.3% of the children studied was below 6 ng/mL (moderate deficit), and in 0.26% was below 3 ng/mL (severe deficit). Taking into account others confounding factors a negative and significant correlation was observed between serum folate levels of children and smoking habits in mothers (r = -0.257, p = 0.01). Conclusion: The maternal smoking habits might determine folate intake and serum folate levels on their offspring.

Keywords

• Situación de folatos
• Hábito tabáquico en los padres
• Escolares
• Folate status
• Parental smoking habits
• Schoolchildren