Adolescents with Higher Althernate Healthy Eating Index For Taiwan (AHEI-T) Scores Have Lower Blood Lipid Level

Purpose: To find out the correlation between Alternate Healthy Eating Index for Taiwan (AHEI-T) score and lipid profile of adolescents. Design and Methods: This is a cross-over study. Six hundred and twenty-eight junior high school students in north Taiwan were recruited in 2007. Subjects with serum total cholesterol more than 200 mg/dL, or low density lipoprotein cholesterol more than 130 mg/dl, or high density lipoprotein cholesterol less than 35 mg/dL, or serum triglyceride (TG) more than 130 mg/dL was considered hyperlipidemia. AHEI-T score was calculated by 3-days dietary records (2 weekdays and 1 weekend). The range of score was from 2.5 to 97.5, and higher score mean better dietary quality. Results: Fifty subjects completed the study. One subject had hypertriglyceridemia. The AHEI-T score was from 33.2 to 69.1, and significantly negative correlated with concentration of serum TG (p < 0.05). Subjects were dichotomy by median AHEI-T score, and the score was 42.9. However, the AHEI-T score 42.9 could not predict any hyperlipidemia condition. Conclusion: Adolescents with higher ATEI-T score and better dietary quality have lower serum TG level.