Association between iron and vitamin intake and cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents of both sexes

Abstract Cardiovascular parameters and cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents may be influenced by eating habits. The aim was to evaluate the association between the levels of some nutrients and micronutrients with blood pressure and VO 2max in adolescents. A total of 60 adolescents (15.77 ± 0.96 years old) participated in the study, of whom 35 were girls and 25 were boys. Eating habits were assessed frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Before and after a cardiorespiratory fitness test (YOYO TEST), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were collected. A backward elimination method of multiple regression was performed to analyse the data. A positive association was found between VO 2max and the intake of iron ( ), vitamin D ( ), vitamin B6 ( ) and vitamin B12 ( ) for girls. Additionally, no significant associations were found between sugar, fibre and fat intake and VO 2max . There was a positive association between SBP and sugar intake ( ) for girls and negative association between DBP after exertion and fibre intake ( ) and body mass index ( ) for boys. There is a positive association between the intake of iron, vitamins and VO 2max in girls and intake of sugar with SBP for girls and negative association between fibres and DBP after exertion for boys.