Malnutrition and Cardiometabolic Risk among Turkish Adolescents: a Public Health Concern during Epidemiological Transition

¹ Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Yeni Yuzyil University Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

*Corresponding author:

Dr. Angelos Sikalidis

Yeni Yuzyil University Istanbul

Yilanli Ayasma Caddesi No. 26

34010 Istanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90-212-444-5001

Fax: +90-212-481-4058

E-mail: as545@cornell.edu

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic disease prevalent both in developing and developed countries. Numerous CVD risk factors associated with nutritional behavior and status in children and adolescents set the stage for adult CVD. A significant body of evidence suggests that there is opportunity for abolishment of at least some of the adverse manifestations of CVD and ability for health improvement if proper nutritional practice is followed during young age. Turkey is a country with a large overall population of which a significant part is children and adolescents. Moreover, Turkey is in epidemiological transition exhibiting health and nutritional issues of both the developing and the developed world, with more than half of all deaths in Turkey related to CVD. Furthermore, Turkey is a country of significant and unusual diversity in terms of geography, socio-economic status and origin among others. However, there are not many studies assessing the cardiometabolic risk in adolescent and the ones that assess a few risk factors of CVD are localized in certain areas. In this work we gather, organize and compare the results of several studies on the topic and reach certain conclusions as per the current condition of adolescents in Turkey in regards to malnutrition and cardiometabolic risk.

Keywords: Adolescent, Public Health, Nutrition, Obesity, Underweight.

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