Strategies to Moderate Energy Intake for the Prevention of Obesity in Children

项目摘要 鉴于儿童超重和肥胖的流行率上升， 合理的饮食策略，防止体重过度增加，并鼓励保持健康的身体 孩子的体重。一种在成人中显示出希望的饮食方法涉及改变 影响饱腹感和能量摄入的食物。例如，食用膳食能量减少的食物 密度（kcal/g）导致成年人能量摄入减少和饮食质量改善。份额的变化 食物的大小和种类也会影响能量的摄入。拟议的研究将扩大这些 研究结果，并确定如何改变食物和膳食可以战略性地用于适度的能量摄入 改善学龄前儿童的饮食质量。具体重点将是降低能源密度， 通过增加儿童膳食中蔬菜的摄入量来增加能量摄入。 在[三个]儿童保育中心进行的一系列交叉研究中， 密度和食物摄入量将通过提供不同份量、种类和膳食的膳食来测试。 结构一种策略是在一餐开始时提供蔬菜，此时没有竞争性食物 available.据推测，蔬菜摄入量将增加，这种影响将取决于部分 服务。另一个策略是增加膳食中蔬菜的比例。公共卫生 组织推荐这种方法，虽然它可能会改善饮食质量，但它对能量摄入的影响 尚未确定。最后，增加用餐时供应的蔬菜种类的效果将是 评估。具体目的是确定对蔬菜摄入量和能量摄入的影响， 以下内容：1）在开始用餐时改变蔬菜的份量; 2）增加 在一餐中通过添加额外的蔬菜或用蔬菜代替其他蔬菜供应的蔬菜 食物;和3）在一餐开始或主菜时增加蔬菜的种类。 近年来，在理解能量密度的影响方面取得了重大进展， 分量大小和食物种类对成年人能量摄入和饮食质量的影响，但这些知识 尚未扩展到儿童。拟议的研究应用了以前研究的结果， 成年人的饱腹感，以促进对食物特性和膳食结构如何影响 学龄前儿童的能量摄入。这些数据将转化为具体战略的制定， 适应儿童的能源需求，并为设计有效的公共卫生信息提供信息， 预防儿童肥胖。

PROJECT SUMMARY Given the rise in the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, it is essential to develop nutritionally sound dietary strategies that prevent excessive weight gain and encourage the maintenance of healthy body weight in children. One dietary approach that has shown promise in adults involves varying the properties of foods that affect satiety and energy intake. For example, consuming foods that are reduced in dietary energy density (kcal/g) leads to decreased energy intake and improved diet quality in adults. Changes in the portion size and the variety of available foods can also affect energy intake. The proposed studies will extend these findings and determine how changes in foods and meals can be used strategically to moderate energy intake and improve diet quality in preschool children. The specific focus will be on reducing energy density and energy intake by increasing children's intake of vegetables at meals. In a series of crossover studies in [three] childcare centers, different strategies for influencing energy density and food intake will be tested by serving meals that are varied in portion size, variety, and meal structure. One strategy is to serve vegetables at the start of a meal when there are no competing foods available. It is hypothesized that vegetable intake will increase and that this effect will depend upon the portion served. Another strategy is to increase the proportion of vegetables served at meals. Public health organizations recommend this approach, and while it is likely to improve diet quality, its effect on energy intake has not been determined. Finally, the effect of increasing the variety of vegetables served at the meal will be assessed. The specific aims are to determine the effects on vegetable intake and energy intake of the following: 1) varying the portion size of vegetables served at the start of a meal; 2) increasing the proportion of vegetables served during a meal either by adding extra vegetables or by substituting vegetables for other foods; and 3) increasing the variety of vegetables at the start of a meal or at the main course. In recent years there have been significant advances in understanding the influence of energy density, portion size, and variety of foods on energy intake and diet quality among adults, but much of this knowledge has not yet been extended to children. The proposed studies apply the findings from previous research on satiety in adults to advancing understanding of how the properties of foods and the structure of meals influence energy intake in preschool children. These data will translate to the development of specific strategies that can be adapted to children's energy needs and inform the design of effective public health messages to help prevent childhood obesity.