Consumptions of Meat and Dairy Products, Zinc Intake and Pubertal Development in Adolescents in Chengdu

Objective To determine the associations between meat, dairy and zinc intake and pubertal development in adolescents in Chengdu. Methods A total of 1320 children and adolescents aged 9-15 years in Chengdu were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling strategy. Dietary intake was assessed by the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and 3-day 24-hour dietary recall. Pubertal development was evaluated through physical examinations. Consumptions of meat and dairy, and zinc intake were compared between groups with different levels of pubertal development according to the Tanner criteria. Results The median age of spermarche was 13.00 years. The boys who had had spermarche consumed more meat (including red meat) and dairy products than those who had not yet ( P<0.05). Daily consumption of total meat was positively correlated with the level of pubertal development ( P<0.05). The median age of menarche was 12.11 years. The girls who had had menarche consumed more meat and less diiry products than those who had not yet ( P<0.05). Daily consumption of dairy products was negatively associated with breast development and the level of pubertal development ( P<0.05). Conclusion Consumptions of meat, red meat and dairy products are associated with pubertal development in adolescents in Chengdu. However, the differences between boys and girls warrant further studies.