The impact of body composition on the degree of misreporting of food diaries

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2024-03, Vol.78 (3), p.209-216
• Main Authors: Nunes, Catarina L., Jesus, Filipe, Oliveira, Mariana V., Thomas, Diana M., Sardinha, Luís B., Martins, Paulo, Minderico, Cláudia S., Silva, Analiza M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/700/2814; 692/700/2817; Adipose tissue; Assessments; Body composition; Body fat; Body size; Body weight; Clinical Nutrition; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Energy balance; Energy intake; Epidemiology; Fat-free body mass; Females; Food; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Public Health; Self report
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/s41430-023-01382-9

Background/Objectives Accurate assessments of energy intake (EI) are needed in lifestyle interventions to guarantee a negative energy balance (EB), thereby losing weight. This study aimed (1) to compare objectively measured and self-reported EI and (2) to determine the predictors of underreporting divided by sex, adiposity and BMI category. Methods Seventy-three participants [mean (SD): 43.7 (9.2) years, BMI = 31.5 (4.5) kg/m 2 , 37% females] of the Champ4Life intervention were included in this study. EI was measured using the “intake-balance method” and self-reported through 3-day food records. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bland–Altman analysis was performed to compare both EI assessments. Results Self-reported EI was lower than measured EI during both neutral (–355 kcal/d) and negative EB (–570 kal/day). While no significant trends were observed for EI evaluation in either neutral ( p  = 0.315) or negative EB ( p  = 0.611), limits of agreement were wide (–1720 to 1010 and –1920 to 779 kcal/day, respectively). In females, the degree of misreporting (kcal/day and %) was predicted by weight ( p  = 0.032 and p  = 0.039, respectively) and FM ( p  = 0.029 and p  = 0.037, respectively). In males, only BMI ( p  = 0.036) was a predictor of misreporting (kcal/day). Conclusion Self-reported EI did not agree with measured EI. Our results show that larger body size was associated with higher levels of underestimation for EI (females only). Nevertheless, misreporting EI is a complex issue involving more associations than merely body composition. A deeper understanding could inform counseling for participants filling out food records in other to reduce misreporting and improve validity.