Time of Energy Intake: Association with Weight Status, Diet Quality, and Sociodemographic Characteristics in Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the association of time of energy intake with weight status, diet quality, and sociodemographic characteristics in Brazil. This cross-sectional study used data from a nationally representative survey with 44.744 individuals (≥10 years old). Food consumption was assessed by 24 h recall. The evening/morning energy intake ratio was calculated, standardized, and categorized in tertiles. The association between the evening/morning energy intake ratio and weight status was estimated using polynomial logistic regression models, and differences across diet quality and sociodemographic categories were estimated considering the non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals. Men, adolescents, adults, and individuals in the higher income level had greater evening energy intake. Those with a higher evening-to-morning energy intake ratio were 15% more likely to be obese (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.28), 21% less likely to be underweight (OR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.64 to 0.98), and reported greater total energy, protein, and lipid intake, as well as higher consumption of low-quality diet markers. Higher evening energy intake relative to morning intake was associated with obesity, low-quality diet markers, and sociodemographic characteristics. The characterization of the time of energy intake can be useful for tailoring and targeting diet promotion actions and for controlling the obesity epidemic.