Fried Food Away from Home.

Association of consumption of fried food away from home with body mass index and diet quality in older children and adolescents.

Elsie M. Taveras, Catherine S. Berkey, Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman, David S. Ludwig, Helaine R.H. Rockett, Alison E. Field, Graham A. Colditz, Matthew W. Gillman

Rates of overweight have increased dramatically among children in the United States. Although an increase in consumption of food prepared away from home has paralleled overweight trends, few data exist relating food prepared away from home to change in BMI in children.

These data suggest that older children who consume greater quantities of FFA are heavier, have greater total energy intakes, and have poorer diet quality. Furthermore, increasing consumption of FFA over time may lead to excess weight gain.

Eating Nuts - Helpful

Nut consumption and weight gain in a Mediterranean cohort: The SUN study.

Maira Bes-Rastrollo, Nicole M Wedick, Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, Tricia Y Li, Laura Sampson, and Frank B Hu

To assess the association, in a Mediterranean population, between nut consumption and risk of weight gain (at least 5 kg) or the risk of becoming overweight/obese.

Frequent nut consumption was associated with a reduced risk of weight gain (5 kg or more). These results support the recommendation of nut consumption as an important component of a cardioprotective diet and also allay fears of possible weight gain.

Whole Grains – Aid weight Control

Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle-aged women.

Liu S1, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB, Rosner B, Colditz G.

Although increased consumption of dietary fiber and grain products is widely recommended to maintain healthy body weight, little is known about the relation of whole grains to body weight and long-term weight changes.

We examined the associations between the intakes of dietary fiber and whole- or refined-grain products and weight gain over time.

Weight gain was inversely associated with the intake of high-fiber, whole-grain foods but positively related to the intake of refined-grain foods, which indicated the importance of distinguishing whole-grain products from refined-grain products to aid in weight control.

General Dietary Research, 2003 to 2010

Eating More Often – Increases Obesity

Does hunger and satiety drive eating anymore? Increasing eating occasions and decreasing time between eating occasions in the United States.

Barry M Popkin and Kiyah J Duffey

US children and adults are consuming foods more frequently throughout the day than they did 30 y ago. Researchers undertaking future clinical, preload, and related food studies need to consider these marked shifts as they attempt to design their research to fit the reality of the eating patterns of free-living individuals.

Mediterranean Diet – Mixed Results

Obesity and the Mediterranean diet: a systematic review of observational and intervention studies.

Buckland G1, Bach A, Serra-Majem L.

World Health Organization projections estimate that worldwide approximately one-third of adults are overweight and one-tenth are obese. There is accumulating research into the Mediterranean diet and whether it could prevent or treat obesity.

13 studies reported that Mediterranean diet adherence was significantly related to less overweight/obesity or more weight loss. Eight studies found no evidence of this association. Epidemiological studies should use a consistent universal definition of the Mediterranean diet, and address common methodological limitations to strengthen the quality of research in this area.

Food Patterns – Low-Fat and High-Fibre diets – Reduced Weight Gain

Food patterns measured by factor analysis and anthropometric changes in adults.

PK Newby, Denis Muller, Judith Hallfrisch, Reubin Andres, and Katherine L Tucker

Sixty-five percent of US adults are overweight, and 31% of these adults are obese. Obesity results from weight gains over time; however, dietary determinants of weight gain remain controversial.

Our results suggest that a pattern rich in reduced-fat dairy products and high-fiber foods may lead to smaller gains in BMI in women and smaller gains in waist circumference in both women and men.

Moderate Alcohol Lower Weight Gain Risk

Alcohol consumption, weight gain, and risk of becoming overweight in middle-aged and older women.

PK Newby, Denis Muller, Judith Hallfrisch, Reubin Andres, and Katherine L Tucker

Compared with nondrinkers, initially normal-weight women who consumed a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during 12.9 years of follow-up.

Sugar Sweetened Drinks Increase Risk

Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Vasanti S. Malik, SCD1, Barry M. Popkin, PHD2, George A. Bray, MD3, Jean-Pierre Després, PHD4, Walter C. Willett, MD, DRPH1,5 and Frank B. Hu, MD, PHD1

In addition to weight gain, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. These data provide empirical evidence that intake of sugar-sweetened beverages should be limited to reduce obesity-related risk of chronic metabolic diseases.

Drinking Milk – Mixed Results

Milk, dairy fat, dietary calcium, and weight gain: a longitudinal study of adolescents.

Catherine S. Berkey, ScD; Helaine R. H. Rockett, MS, RD; Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH; Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH

Milk is promoted as a healthy beverage for children, but some researchers believe that estrone and whey protein in dairy products may cause weight gain. Others claim that dairy calcium promotes weight loss.

Children who drank the most milk gained more weight, but the added calories appeared responsible. Contrary to our hypotheses, dietary calcium and skim and 1% milk were associated with weight gain, but dairy fat was not. Drinking large amounts of milk may provide excess energy to some children.