Examination of different definitions of snacking frequency and associations with weight status among U.S. adults

Snacks, while widely consumed in the United States (U.S.), do not have a standard definition, complicating research to understand associations, if any, with weight status. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between snacking frequency and weight status using various s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2020-06, Vol.15 (6), p.e0234355-e0234355
Main Authors: Cowan, Alexandra E, Higgins, Kelly A, Fisher, Jennifer O, Tripicchio, Gina L, Mattes, Richard D, Zou, Peishan, Bailey, Regan L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Biology and Life Sciences
Body mass
Body mass index
Body size
Diameters
Energy
Exercise
Family income
Food
Food habits
Forecasts and trends
Health aspects
Hispanic people
Hispanics
Households
Meals
Medicine and Health Sciences
Nutrition
Obesity
Overweight
People and Places
Public health
Regression analysis
Regression models
Snack foods
Weight
Weight gain
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Summary:Snacks, while widely consumed in the United States (U.S.), do not have a standard definition, complicating research to understand associations, if any, with weight status. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between snacking frequency and weight status using various snacking definitions that exist in the scientific literature among U.S. adults (NHANES 2013-2016; [greater than or equal to]20y n = 9,711). Four event-based snacking definitions were operationalized including participant-defined snacks, eating events outside of meals, and operationally defined snacks based on absolute thresholds of energy consumed (>50 kcal). Weight status was examined using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and sagittal abdominal diameter risk. Logistic regression models examined snacking frequency and associations with weight status. Outcomes varied by the definition of a snack employed, but the majority of findings were null. Mean energy from snacks was significantly higher among women with obesity compared to women with normal weight when a snack was defined as any event outside of a typical mealtime (i.e. other than breakfast, lunch, dinner, super, brunch), regardless of whether or not it contributed [greater than or equal to]50 kcal. Further investigation into ingestive behaviors that may influence the relationship between snacking frequency and weight status is needed.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0234355