Impacts of Dietary Macronutrient Pattern on Adolescent Body Composition and Metabolic Risk: Current and Future Health Status—A Narrative Review

Abstract

Obesity, particularly in childhood and adolescence, is one of the serious public health problems worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 10% of young people aged 5–17 years are obese, which is rapidly increasing around the world. Furthermore, approximately 80% of adolescents who become obese develop bodyweight-related health problems in adulthood. Eating habits and lifestyles play important roles in forming body composition and metabolic status. Changes in body composition in adolescence, the period in which secondary sex characteristics begin to develop, can alter hormonal and metabolic status, can consequently affect health status and the risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood, and moreover may have an impact on probable body composition and metabolic status in the next generation. Here, we reviewed cross-sectional and interventional studies to analyze the role of dietary patterns focusing on macronutrient intake in growth, body composition, and metabolic changes in adolescents. These findings provide insights into optimal dietary guidelines for healthy growth with accretion of adequate body composition in adolescence, and provide an effective strategy for preventing and managing the risk of obesity-related metabolic disease in adulthood, with the additional benefit of providing potential benefits for the next generation’s health.