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The contribution of snacking to diet quality in weight stable unrestrained men and women
Author(s) -
BurtonFreeman Britt,
Keim Nancy
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a57-a
Subject(s) - snacking , obesity , medicine , nutrient density , nutrient , zoology , food science , biology , endocrinology , ecology
In humans, daily intake is distributed over a certain number of meals and snacks. The contribution of snacking to diet quality is relatively unclear; however, recent trends in snacking and obesity have challenged the benefit snacks may bring to the diet. The purpose of this study was to examine snacking on diet quality in weight stable, unrestrained men and women. Twelve, 24 h food diaries of 9 men and 10 women were analyzed (n=228 diaries) to determine the mean daily energy, macro‐ and micro‐ nutrient composition of meals and snacks. Mean (± SD) age, BMI (kg/m2) and restraint score of men and women was: 25 ± 4 and 24 ± 1 y, 24 ± 3 and 23 ± 2 kg/m2, 3 ± 1 and 6 ± 3, respectively. Men consumed more energy dense meals than snacks (1.51 ± 0.06 vs.1.35 ± 0.10 kcal/g) whereas women consumed more energy dense snacks (1.52 ± 0.09) than meals (1.37 ± 0.06 kcal/g). Mean (± SEM) snack intake was 249 ± 34 and 268 ± 34 kcal, ~ 33 and 50% of the mean energy value of meals for men and women, respectively. Women consumed more carbohydrate‐rich snacks than men (65 vs 55% energy), while men consumed more fat‐rich snacks than women (29 vs 22% energy). Analysis of nutrient density indicated that snacks provided more Vit C, B2 and Vit K per kcal, whereas meals provided more B1, B3, B6, folate, Fe, Zn and Na per kcal. The influence of sex relative to nutrient distribution in meals and snacks was evident for some nutrients (eg., women received more Ca/kcal from snacks than men). Hence, snacking contributes to diet quality in weight stable young adults; however understanding sex‐specific influences may provide unique insight to effective snacking for improved diet quality without weight gain.