Dietary protein and amino acids intake and its relationship with blood pressure in adolescents: the HELENA STUDY.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between dietary protein and amino acids intake and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in European adolescents.

METHODS

Participants were from the cross-sectional study performed in Europe, Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA study; n = 1605; 12.5-17.5 years; 833 girls) selected by complex sampling. The associations between dietary protein and amino acids intake and SBP/DBP were examined by multilevel linear regression models (context variable by school); the analysis being stratified by sex. Cities, seasonality, age, socioeconomic level, parental education level, body mass index, waist circumference, Tanner stage and physical activity were used as covariates.

RESULTS

In boys, we found an inverse association between protein (animal and vegetable) intake and DBP; and a positive association between histidine and SBP. In girls, we observed a positive association among tryptophan, histidine with SBP and methionine with DBP. On the other hand, we observed an inverse association between tyrosine and both SBP and DBP levels in girls.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between amino acids and BP levels is controversial and depends on the type of amino acids, and protein intake can help control the DBP in boys.