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

 描述（由申请人提供）：学龄前是实施预防肥胖战略的重要时期。学龄前儿童被认为处于形成阶段，在此期间，调节能量（卡路里）摄入的能力正在被根据环境线索（如食物的特性）进食所取代。在对照研究中，我们发现食物份量（重量）和能量密度（单位重量的卡路里）的增加会促进学龄前儿童在几顿饭中摄入过量的能量。拟议的实验将通过系统地改变多日供应的食物和饮料来扩展这项工作，以确定儿童对能量摄入的调节是否抵消了大部分能量密集食物的影响，或者这些食物是否对能量摄入有持续影响。我们还将测试一种基于当前饮食指导的适度能量摄入策略，该策略以积极的方式使用份量，以增加蔬菜和水果等低能量密度食物的比例，并减少高能量密度食物的比例。在这项提案中，我们将进行三项研究，在学龄前和家庭环境中连续5天为3至5岁的儿童提供不同的食物。实验1将比较所有食物和饮料的较大部分与所有物品的较小部分，实验2将比较所有食物和饮料的高能量密度版本与低能量密度版本。实验3将比较具有典型比例的食物组的服务餐与其中较大部分的低能量密度蔬菜和水果替代能量密度较高的食物的服务餐。因此，这三个具体目标是确定在5天内提供的所有膳食中改变份量大小、能量密度和低能量密度食物的比例对能量摄入的影响。研究的总体目标是评估（a）学龄前儿童是否在多天内调整他们的能量摄入，以补偿食物份量和能量密度的变化，从而显示自我调节，以及（B）这些强大的食物特性是否可以积极地用于管理当前致肥胖环境中的能量摄入。像这样的良好对照研究将导致基于证据的策略的发展，以帮助适度的能量摄入和预防儿童肥胖。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The preschool years are an important time for implementing strategies to prevent obesity. Preschool children are thought to be in a formative stage during which the ability to regulate energy (calorie) intake is being replaced by eating in response to environmental cues such as the properties of foods. In controlled studies, we have found that increases in food portion size (weight) and energy density (calories per weight) promote excess energy intake in preschool children across several meals. The proposed experiments will extend this work by systematically varying the foods and beverages served over multiple days to determine whether children's regulation of energy intake counters the effects of large portions of energy-dense foods or whether such foods have persistent effects on energy intake. We also will test a strategy for moderating energy intake based on current dietary guidance, which uses portion size in a positive way to increase the proportion of low energy-dense foods such as vegetables and fruits and to decrease the proportion of high energy-dense foods. In this proposal we will conduct three studies that vary the properties of foods served over 5 consecutive days to children 3 to 5 years of age in their preschool and home environments. Experiment 1 will compare serving larger portions of all foods and beverages to serving smaller portions of all items, and Experiment 2 will compare serving higher-energy-dense versions of all foods and beverages to serving lower-energy-dense versions. Experiment 3 will compare serving meals with typical proportions of food groups to serving meals in which larger portions of low-energy-dense vegetables and fruits are substituted for foods that are higher in energy density. Thus, the three specific aims are to determine the effects on energy intake of varying the portion size, the energy density, and the proportion of lower-energy-dense foods of all meals served over 5 days. The overall goals of the research are to evaluate (a) whether preschool children adjust their energy intake over multiple days to compensate for variations in food portion size and energy density, thus showing self-regulation, and (b) whether these powerful food properties can be used positively to manage energy intake in the current obesogenic environment. Well-controlled studies such as these will lead to the development of evidence-based strategies to help moderate energy intake and prevent childhood obesity.