Comparison of high-calorie, low-nutrient-dense food consumption among obese and non-obese adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether obese adolescents eat more high-calorie low-nutrient-dense foods than non-obese adolescents.


METHODS
Using a cross-sectional design, 22 non-obese and 21 obese adolescents kept 14-day food records. Records provided estimates of total daily energy intake and caloric intake from five categories of high-calorie, low-nutrient-dense (HC) foods: candy, chips, soda, baked goods, and ice cream. Body composition was determined by 18O dilution and daily energy expenditure by doubly labeled water. Percentage of energy intake reported (%report) was calculated as the ratio of reported energy intake to measured energy expenditure (x 100%).


RESULTS
Both groups underreported energy intake, but the percentage reported was significantly greater in the non-obese group (78.2+/-20.5% non-obese vs. 55.5+/-21.8% obese, p<0.001). Consumption of calories from chips and soda was similar among non-obese and obese adolescents. However, total energy intake from all HC foods was higher in the non-obese group than among the obese (617+/-356 kcal/day vs. 362+/-223 kcal/day; p<0.01) and represented 27.2+/-10.5% and 19.9+/-9.6% of reported energy intake in the non-obese and obese groups, respectively. After adjustment for under-reporting, the percentage of calories provided by each of the HC foods was similar in the obese and non-obese groups except for ice cream, which remained significantly greater in the non-obese group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that both non-obese and obese adolescents consume a substantial portion of reported calories from HC foods and that obese adolescents do not consume more calories from these foods than non-obese adolescents. These data offer no evidence to support the widespread notion that obese adolescents eat more "junk food" than non-obese adolescents. Health professionals who treat obese adolescents must be aware that the excess calories in their diets may come from a variety of food sources and not solely from high-calorie snack foods.
Bandini
L G
LG
Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA. lgbandin@mit.edu
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Must
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Goldberg
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Dietz
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D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D001628:Beverages; D001823:Body Composition; D002182:Candy; D002253:Carbonated Beverages; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007054:Ice Cream; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity