Intake at a single, palatable buffet test meal is associated with total body fat and regional fat distribution in children

Abstract

Previous studies testing the relationship between short-term, ad libitum test-meal intake and body composition in children have shown inconsistent relationships. The objective of this study was to determine whether children's intake at a palatable, buffet meal was associated with body composition, assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A sample of 71 children (4-6 years) participated in 4 sessions where ad libitum food intake was measured. Children's intake at two of the test-meals was retained for the present analysis: a baseline meal consisting of moderately palatable foods and a highly palatable buffet including sweets, sweet-fats, and savory-fats. On the last visit, anthropometrics and DXA were assessed to determine child body composition. Children consumed significantly more calories at the palatable buffet compared to the baseline test-meal. Children's total fat-free mass was positively associated with intake at both the baseline meal and the palatable buffet meal. Total energy intake at both meals and intake of savory-fats at the palatable buffet were positively associated with children's total fat mass, total percent body fat, and percent android fat. Intake of sweet-fats was associated with child fat-free mass index. Intake of sweets was not correlated with body composition. Children's intake at a palatable test-meal, particularly of savory-fat foods, was associated with measures of total and regional body fat.

Body composition impacts appetite regulation in middle childhood. A prospective study of Norwegian community children

“…The above-noted pattern was consistent both from ages 6 to 8 and from ages 8 to 10 years. Our findings accord with a laboratory study of 4–6 year olds showing both fat mass and fat-free mass to be positively associated with energy intake [32]. Because laboratory measures of eating are proxies of eating in free-living conditions, our results extend earlier findings by showing fat mass and fat-free mass prospectively predict appetite traits , i.e.…”

“…These and earlier findings [28–30] suggest a role for both fat mass and muscle mass in appetite regulation, which is reasonable given that muscle and adipose tissue are anatomically, biologically and pathologically related to each other [31]. In keeping with this, both fat-free mass and fat-mass were positively associated with laboratory measured energy intake in children [32]. …”

Perceived Exertion during Exercise Is Associated with Children's Energy Intake

“…However, we recruited only healthy weight children, therefore variation in FM was limited. In a cohort with greater diversity in body weight, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, we recently reported that adiposity was positively related to total EI and intake of savory-fat foods in a laboratory setting (20). However, total EI was also positively related to FFM and estimated resting EE (20).…”

“…In a cohort with greater diversity in body weight, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, we recently reported that adiposity was positively related to total EI and intake of savory-fat foods in a laboratory setting (20). However, total EI was also positively related to FFM and estimated resting EE (20). In addition, EI was only measured at a single meal in the previous study, while the current study design allowed for self-regulation over the course of multiple meals, which could explain differences in results between studies.…”

Lunch-time food choices in preschoolers: Relationships between absolute and relative intakes of different food categories, and appetitive characteristics and weight

“…macronutrient content, portion size) on calorie intake, surprisingly few use this method as a way of examining characteristic food choices in a naturalistic environment. However, a recent study measuring 71 4-6 year olds’ intake at two test meals – one baseline meal consisting of moderately palatable foods, and one highly palatable buffet including sweet, sweet-fat, and savory-fat foods – found that total energy intake at both meals and intake of savory-fat foods at the palatable buffet were positively associated with adiposity as assessed by DXA (Fearnbach, Thivel, Meyermann, & Keller, 2015); findings like this suggest that there could be a particular food choice profile that is characteristic of heavier children.…”