Background: To examine the relationship between ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal consumption habits and body mass index (BMI) of a nationally representative sample of Canadians. Methods: Population-based survey of Canadians aged 12 years and older. Participants provided 7-day self-reported food diary records during the data collection period of October 2003 through September 2004. Height and weight of the respondents was also reported. Main outcome measures included frequency of RTE cereal consumption, Body Mass Index (BMI), and nutrient intakes. The sample population of 2926 aged 12 years and older was divided into three groups by frequency of RTE cereal consumption over the 7-day period: 0-1 serving, 2-3 servings and 4+ servings. Results: The RTE cereal intake ranged from 0 to greater than 8 servings over the 7 days. Males who consumed 4+ servings of RTE Cereal had significantly lower mean BMI measures than the ones who consumed 0-1 serving (P < 0.006). Significantly lower proportion of Canadians who consumed 4+ serving of RTE cereal were classified as overweight or obese than those who consumed 0-1 servings in seven days (p = 0.011). Higher cereal intake group also had favourable nutrient intake profiles than the lower cereal intake group and were more likely to meet micronutrient intake recommendations. Conclusion: Self-reported RTE cereal consumption is related to lower BMI and improved nutrient intake in Canadians aged 12 years and older.

BackgroundA large portion of daily intake comes from snacking. One of the increasingly common, healthier snacks includes Greek-style yogurt, which is typically higher in protein than regular yogurt. This study evaluated whether a 160 kcal higher-protein (HP) Greek-style yogurt snack improves appetite control, satiety, and delays subsequent eating compared to an isocaloric normal protein (NP) regular yogurt in healthy women. This study also identified the factors that predict the onset of eating.FindingsThirty-two healthy women (age: 27 ± 2y; BMI: 23.0 ± 0.4 kg/m2) completed the acute, randomized crossover-design study. On separate days, participants came to our facility to consume a standardized lunch followed by the consumption of the NP (5.0 g protein) or HP (14.0 g protein) yogurt at 3 h post-lunch. Perceived hunger and fullness were assessed throughout the afternoon until dinner was voluntarily requested; ad libitum dinner was then provided. Snacking led to reductions in hunger and increases in fullness. No differences in post-snack perceived hunger or fullness were observed between the NP and HP yogurt snacks. Dinner was voluntarily requested at approximately 2:40 ± 0:05 h post-snack with no differences between the HP vs. NP yogurts. Ad libitum dinner intake was not different between the snacks (NP: 686 ± 33 kcal vs. HP: 709 ± 34 kcal; p = 0.324). In identifying key factors that predict eating initiation, perceived hunger, fullness, and habitual dinner time accounted for 30% of the variability of time to dinner request (r = 0.55; p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe additional 9 g of protein contained in the high protein Greek yogurt was insufficient to elicit protein-related improvements in markers of energy intake regulation.

PurposeTo assess whether afternoon snacks of higher‐protein (14 g protein; HPY) vs. lower‐protein (5 g protein; LPY) yogurt lead to reduced hunger, increased fullness, and delayed eating vs. No Snack (NS).MethodsUsing a randomized crossover design, 46 women (age 28 ± 1 y; BMI 23.1 ± 0.4 kg/m2) were acclimated to each snack for 3 consecutive days. On day 4, the participants consumed a standard breakfast, at home, and came to our facility 1 hr prior to their habitual lunch time. A standard lunch was provided followed by their respective snack (160 kcal) consumed 3 h post‐lunch. Subjective appetite was assessed by VAS completed every 30 min throughout the afternoon until dinner was voluntarily requested.ResultsSnacking reduced hunger and increased fullness up to 2 h post‐snack vs. NS (p<0.001; both snacks); no differences were observed between snacks. NS led to the earliest request for dinner (2:13 ± 0:41 h post‐snack) vs. HPY (2:42 ± 0:38 h post‐snack; p<0.001) and LPY (2:37 ± 0:40 h post‐snack; p<0.001); no difference was found between snacks.ConclusionsAlthough both 160 kcal afternoon yogurt snacks led to reduced hunger, increased fullness, and delayed eating vs. no snacking, no differences were found between the low vs. higher protein yogurts. These data suggest that a 9 g protein differential is insufficient to alter appetite control and delay eating in healthy women. Funded by: General Mills, Inc.

PurposeTo determine whether an afternoon snack of higher‐protein yogurt, (14 g protein, HPY) delays the onset of eating vs. other commonly consumed eucaloric snacks varying in macronutrient content, including Pretzels (P), Crackers (Cr), Chocolate (Ch), and No Snack (NS).MethodsUsing a randomized crossover design, 23 women (age 27 ± 1y; BMI 23.4 ± 0.6) were acclimated to each snack for 3 consecutive days. On day 4, the participants consumed a standard breakfast, at home, and came to our facility 1 hr prior to their habitual lunch time. A standard lunch was provided followed by their respective snack (160 kcal) consumed 3 h post‐lunch. Subjective appetite was assessed by VAS completed every 30 min throughout the afternoon until dinner was voluntarily requested.ResultsNS led to an earlier dinner request time (2:09 ± 0:37 h) vs. HPY (2:43 ± 0:39 h; p<0.001), P (2:40 ± 0:31 h, p<0.001), and Cr (2:24 ± 0:38 h p=0.08), but not Ch (2:18 ± 0:39 h post‐snack). Between snacks, HPY and P had a greater delay in eating vs. Ch (p<0.05, both); HPY also led to a greater delay vs. Cr (p=0.09).ConclusionsA higher‐protein afternoon yogurt snack delayed subsequent eating vs. crackers and chocolate while a pretzel snack delayed subsequent eating longer than chocolate, suggesting that macronutrient content and sensory characteristics of snacks influence energy intake regulation. Funded by: General Mills, Inc.

Objective was to determine vitamin D intake and food sources in US (n=7837) and Canadian (n=4025) populations using 7‐ or 14‐d food intake data from a nationally representative population. Mean vitamin D intake ranged from 3.7 to 6.0 mcg/d. One‐third of the 2–50 y age groups met their AI for vitamin D, except US women, 19–50 y, where only 23% met their AI. Less than 10% of individuals over the age of 50 y met their AI for vitamin D. The top 10 food sources of vitamin D in the diets of U.S. participants were milk, meat, fish, eggs, ready‐to‐eat (RTE) cereal, pasta and rice, dairy and non‐dairy frozen desserts, poultry, shellfish, and vegetable recipes; among the Canadian participants they were milk, meat, fish, margarine, eggs, egg recipes, pasta and rice, dairy and non‐dairy frozen desserts, vegetable recipes, and soups. Participants who frequently consumed RTE cereal had significantly higher total vitamin D intake vs. those who did not consume or were infrequent consumers. Frequent breakfast consumers had significantly higher vitamin D intake vs. those who did not consume breakfast or were infrequent consumers. Given the inadequate intake of vitamin D, emphasis needs to be put on increasing dietary sources of vitamin D, including vitamin D fortified foods, to help individuals meet the vitamin D dietary recommendations.Funding: General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, Minneapolis, MN