Relationship between fiber intake and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective:To evaluate the fiber intake and the relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods: This is a cross-sectional in which adolescents with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus were evaluated. The dietary consumption was assessed by the 24-hour recall; nutritional status was classified according to the Body Mass index/Age by Sex; abdominal obesity was assessed through waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and glucose and lipid metabolism. The data were analyzed using Statistical Software for Professionals 14 and all statistical analyses used an alpha error of 5%. Results: 52 patients were evaluated, with a mean age of 16.7 +/- 1.5 years. Inadequate fiber consumption occurred in 61.5% (n=32) of them. Average of waist circumference measures (81.4 vs. 75.5 cm; p=0.02), waist-to-height ratio (0.51 vs. 0.47; p=0.02) and systolic blood pressure (122.1 vs. 114.8 mmHg; p=0.03) were higher in those who had inadequate fiber intake. Among the cardiovascular risk factors evaluated, the waist/height ratio showed a significant negative correlation with fiber consumption (r=-0.3; p=0.04), that is, the higher the fiber consumption, the lower the value of the waist ratio /stature. Conclusions: Low dietary fiber intake in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus juvenile is related to higher abdominal adiposity and consequently with increased cardiovascular risk.