biostudies-literatureLipsky LMIntramural NIH HHSEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNICHD NIH HHS501-506https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7902382biostudies-literatureUnknown121(3)<h4>Background</h4>Scant research has examined whether laboratory assessments of eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) relates to long-term diet quality.<h4>Objective</h4>This study investigates the association of EAH with diet quality during pregnancy.<h4>Design</h4>Pregnancy diet quality was assessed using 24-hour diet recalls collected in each pregnancy trimester. EAH was assessed in a counterbalanced, crossover laboratory feeding substudy in which participants completed two free access eating occasions following a standardized meal during their second pregnancy trimester.<h4>Participants/setting</h4>Data were collected from March 2015 to December 2016 from a subsample of participants (n = 46) enrolled at ≤12 weeks' gestation in an observational, prospective cohort study (the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study) in North Carolina.<h4>Intervention</h4>Participants were presented with highly processed (HP) and minimally processed (MP) foods in two separate assessments.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Scores for total Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and adherence to adequacy and moderation components were calculated from the diet recalls. Higher scores reflect better diet quality.<h4>Statistical analyses performed</h4>Linear regressions estimated associations of pregnancy diet quality with EAH (energy, EAH-kcal; and percent offered, EAH-%) in each condition for all foods, and separately for sweet and savory foods.<h4>Results</h4>Lower pregnancy diet quality (all indicators) was associated with greater EAH (EAH-kcal and EAH-%) of all foods and sweet foods in the HP condition. Each 100-kcal increase in EAH of HP foods was associated with a 2- to 3-point decrease (standard error = 0.7 to 0.8) in HEI-2015 (P < 0.01); each 10% increase in EAH of HP foods was associated with a 5- to 7-point decrease (standard error = 2.0) in HEI-2015 (P < 0.01). Greater EAH (energy and percent offered) of savory food intake in the HP condition was associated with a lower HEI-2015 adequacy component score, but was not associated with the HEI-2015 or HEI-2015 moderation component scores. EAH in the MP condition was not associated with pregnancy diet quality.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Greater EAH of HP, especially sweet, foods was related to worse pregnancy diet quality. Consuming HP sweets after meal termination may reflect a tendency for eating beyond satiation and may be a useful intervention target for improving maternal diet quality.Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsEating in the Absence of Hunger Is Related to Worse Diet Quality throughout Pregnancy.PMC7902382HHSN275201300015CZ99 HD999999ZIA HD008942HHSN275201300026IShearrer GEBurger KSNansel TRFaith MSLipsky LMfalseEating in the Absence of Hunger Is Related to Worse Diet Quality throughout Pregnancy.<h4>Background</h4>Scant research has examined whether laboratory assessments of eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) relates to long-term diet quality.<h4>Objective</h4>This study investigates the association of EAH with diet quality during pregnancy.<h4>Design</h4>Pregnancy diet quality was assessed using 24-hour diet recalls collected in each pregnancy trimester. EAH was assessed in a counterbalanced, crossover laboratory feeding substudy in which participants completed two free access eating occasions following a standardized meal during their second pregnancy trimester.<h4>Participants/setting</h4>Data were collected from March 2015 to December 2016 from a subsample of participants (n = 46) enrolled at ≤12 weeks' gestation in an observational, prospective cohort study (the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study) in North Carolina.<h4>Intervention</h4>Participants were presented with highly processed (HP) and minimally processed (MP) foods in two separate assessments.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Scores for total Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) and adherence to adequacy and moderation components were calculated from the diet recalls. Higher scores reflect better diet quality.<h4>Statistical analyses performed</h4>Linear regressions estimated associations of pregnancy diet quality with EAH (energy, EAH-kcal; and percent offered, EAH-%) in each condition for all foods, and separately for sweet and savory foods.<h4>Results</h4>Lower pregnancy diet quality (all indicators) was associated with greater EAH (EAH-kcal and EAH-%) of all foods and sweet foods in the HP condition. Each 100-kcal increase in EAH of HP foods was associated with a 2- to 3-point decrease (standard error = 0.7 to 0.8) in HEI-2015 (P < 0.01); each 10% increase in EAH of HP foods was associated with a 5- to 7-point decrease (standard error = 2.0) in HEI-2015 (P < 0.01). Greater EAH (energy and percent offered) of savory food intake in the HP condition was associated with a lower HEI-2015 adequacy component score, but was not associated with the HEI-2015 or HEI-2015 moderation component scores. EAH in the MP condition was not associated with pregnancy diet quality.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Greater EAH of HP, especially sweet, foods was related to worse pregnancy diet quality. Consuming HP sweets after meal termination may reflect a tendency for eating beyond satiation and may be a useful intervention target for improving maternal diet quality.2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2024-11-21T02:14:27.448Z2024-11-21T02:14:27.448ZS-EPMC79023823315880110.1016/j.jand.2020.09.037