# Greater adherence to the Planetary Health Diet is inversely associated with dyslipidemia in children: PASE Study—Brazil

## TL;DR

A study in Brazil found that children who followed a healthy, sustainable diet called the Planetary Health Diet had lower cholesterol and fewer heart disease risks.

## Contribution

This is the first study to show a link between the Planetary Health Diet and reduced dyslipidemia in children.

## Key findings

- Higher adherence to the Planetary Health Diet was linked to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in children.
- Children with greater diet adherence had fewer altered lipid markers, indicating better heart health.
- The diet was associated with higher fiber and carbohydrate intake and lower saturated fat and calorie consumption.

## Abstract

Healthy and sustainable diets, such as the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), may contribute to the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is a lack of evidence on this relationship in childhood. This study assessed the association between adherence to the PHD and lipid markers in children.

Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 378 children aged 8 and 9 in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The food consumption was assessed using three 24-h dietary recalls and the adherence to the PHD was measured through the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI). Dyslipidemia was defined by the presence of one or more altered lipid markers (total cholesterol—TC, triglycerides—TG, low-density lipoprotein—LDL-c, and high-density lipoprotein—HDL-c). Associations between PHDI and lipid outcomes were assessed using adjusted linear regression models.

The mean PHDI was 37.5 (SD: 10.6) and 70% of the children had dyslipidemia. The increase of one standard deviation (SD) of PHDI was associated with a reduction in serum concentrations of TC (β = −2.81, 95% CI: −5.57; −0.05) and LDL-c (β = −2.81, 95% CI: −5.07; −0.56). The Moderation component of the PHDI was also inversely associated with LDL-c (β = −2.88, 95% CI: −5.13; −0.64). In addition, the PHDI and its Adequacy and Ratio components showed inverse associations with the number of altered lipid markers (p-trend < 0.05). The PHDI was positively associated with carbohydrate and fiber intake, and inversely associated with calorie intake, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol.

The greater adherence to the PHD was inversely associated with dyslipidemia in children, such as reduced TC, LDL-c, and fewer altered lipid markers, suggesting a potential benefit of adopting healthy and sustainable diet since childhood.