Early patterns of food intake in an adolescent weight loss trial as predictors of BMI change.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether baseline intake or initial changes in intake of fruits (F), vegetables (V), snack foods (SF), and reduced-calorie snack foods (RCSF) during standard behavioral weight loss treatment predict BMI reductions among overweight adolescents. Given conflicting messages between child and adult weight loss interventions, the role of RCSF in adolescent weight control was of particular interest.


METHODS
Seventy-two adolescents, 13-16 years old, participating in a 16-week behavioral weight loss trial with diet records at baseline and 4 weeks were included. Height and weight were measured at 0 and 16 weeks. Frequency of intake of F, V, SF, and RCSF were obtained from 7-day food records at 0 and 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Male gender, higher initial frequency of intake of V and increased frequency of intake of F and RCSF over the first 4 weeks of treatment accounted for 43% of the variance in BMI reduction at 16 weeks (p<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Early changes in eating habits, including increased frequency of intake of F and RCSF may promote greater adolescent BMI reductions.
Hart
Chantelle N
CN
Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Chantelle_Hart@brown.edu
Jelalian
Elissa
E
Raynor
Hollie A
HA
Mehlenbeck
Robyn
R
Lloyd-Richardson
Elizabeth E
EE
Kaplan
Jamie
J
Flynn-O'Brien
Katherine
K
Wing
Rena R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015930:Diet Records; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014675:Vegetables