title: Intake at a single, palatable buffet test meal is associated with total body fat and regional fat distribution in children.
abstract: Previous studies testing the relationship between short-term, ad libitum test-meal intake and body composition in children have shown inconsistent relationships. The objective of this study was to determine whether children's intake at a palatable, buffet meal was associated with body composition, assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A sample of 71 children (4-6 years) participated in 4 sessions where ad libitum food intake was measured. Children's intake at two of the test-meals was retained for the present analysis: a baseline meal consisting of moderately palatable foods and a highly palatable buffet including sweets, sweet-fats, and savory-fats. On the last visit, anthropometrics and DXA were assessed to determine child body composition. Children consumed significantly more calories at the palatable buffet compared to the baseline test-meal. Children's total fat-free mass was positively associated with intake at both the baseline meal and the palatable buffet meal. Total energy intake at both meals and intake of savory-fats at the palatable buffet were positively associated with children's total fat mass, total percent body fat, and percent android fat. Intake of sweet-fats was associated with child fat-free mass index. Intake of sweets was not correlated with body composition. Children's intake at a palatable test-meal, particularly of savory-fat foods, was associated with measures of total and regional body fat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: S Nicole
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Fearnbach
authors.affiliation: AME2P Research Group, EA3533, Clermont University, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Regional Center for Human Nutrition (CRHN Auvergne), Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thivel
authors.affiliation: New York Nutrition Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meyermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; New York Nutrition Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. Electronic address: klk37@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D008960:Models, Psychological
keywords: Body fat distribution; Children; Eating behaviors; Energy balance; Energy intake