Abstract

The objective of the present study was to analyze the intake of high- protein foods, other than dairy products and their derivatives, by adolescents attending a subsidized school in the city of Chillan, Chile. A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted with a sample of 154 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17. Nutritional status was evaluated using body mass index (BMI) and food intake was measured using a quantified food consumption trend survey emphasizing the consumption of high-protein foods other than dairy products. Ninety percent of surveyed subjects, independently of sex, consumed legumes, meat, fish, and seafood on a weekly basis. Median weekly consumption of meat was 275 g for boys and 191 g for girls (p<0.01). Boys consumed 1.5 times more sausages than girls (148 g vs. 89 g; p=0.02). When comparing food intake of the high-protein foods under study with the Chilean Food Guide for adolescents, 60% complied poorly with weekly intake of meat, eggs, fish, and seafood. It is therefore imperative to implement strategies to improve the consumption of foods with high levels of biological protein to ensure the adequate development of adolescents.