Meal and snack frequency in relation to diet quality in US children and adolescents: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2012.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the associations of meal frequency (MF) and snack frequency (SF) with diet quality.

Design

Dietary intake was assessed using two 24 h dietary recalls. All eating occasions providing ≥210 kJ of energy were divided into meals or snacks on the basis of contribution to energy intake (≥15 % or <15 %), self-report and time (06.00-09.00, 12.00-14.00 and 17.00-20.00 hours, or others). Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010.

Setting

Nationally representative sample of the US population.

Subjects

Children aged 6-11 years (n 4269) and adolescents aged 12-19 years (n 6193) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2012.

Results

Irrespective of the definition of meals, higher MF was associated with

SUBMITTER: Murakami K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10270953 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature