Environmental Influences on Intake and Obesity

描述(申请人提供)：建议研究的目的是开发营养健康的饮食策略，减少能量摄入，以促进减肥和预防肥胖。先前的研究表明，一种有希望的方法是系统地改变食物的属性，如能量密度(每克热量)、份量和种类，以调节能量摄入量。将根据这些食物特性的变化制定饮食策略，鼓励在一餐中增加低能量密度食物的摄入量，如蔬菜。增加低能量密度食物的消费已被证明可以增加饱腹感和减少能量摄入，并已被成功地用于促进减肥。采用随机设计的四项研究将在男性和女性中进行，他们在几个不同的日子里在受控的实验室环境中吃所有的食物。主要的实验结果将是一系列由肉类、谷物和蔬菜组成的测试餐的能量摄入量和食物消费模式，其中低能量密度的成分(蔬菜)是有系统地变化的。具体目的是确定以下几点：1)通过在一餐中添加额外的蔬菜或以蔬菜取代其他食物来增加蔬菜份量的效果；2)改变蔬菜的能量密度的效果；3)与单独提供蔬菜相比，在一餐中将蔬菜与其他食物结合的效果；以及4)增加蔬菜种类的影响。将评估这些膳食操作在控制饥饿和维持饱腹感方面的有效性，同时促进减少能量摄入。在所有研究中，将调查个体特征(如体重状况、饮食限制和食物偏好)在决定对膳食操纵的反应中的作用。随着各种高能量食物的广泛供应，以及许多人可能对这种食物线索敏感，迫切需要找到有效的策略，帮助消费者减少他们的能量摄入。拟议的研究将系统地改变蔬菜的能量密度、份量和种类，以确定如何利用这些食物的这些特性来增加低能量密度食物的摄入量，减少一餐中的能量摄入量。更好地了解这些影响以及它们在不同个体之间的差异，将有助于制定与膳食有关的具体战略和公共卫生信息，以帮助在体重管理期间适量摄入能量和改善饮食质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The aim of the proposed studies is to develop nutritionally sound dietary strategies that reduce energy intake in order to promote weight loss and prevent obesity. Previous research indicates that a promising approach is to systematically vary properties of foods such as energy density (calories per gram), portion size, and variety in order to moderate energy intake. Dietary strategies based on variations in these food properties will be developed that encourage increased intake of foods low in energy density, such as vegetables, during a meal. Increased consumption of low-energy-dense foods has been shown to enhance satiety and reduce energy intake, and has been used successfully to promote weight loss. Four studies using a randomized design will be conducted in men and women, who on a number of separate days will eat all of their meals in a controlled laboratory setting. The primary experimental outcomes will be energy intake and food consumption patterns at a series of test meals consisting of meat, grain, and vegetables served simultaneously, in which the low-energy-dense component (vegetables) is varied systematically. The specific aims are to determine the following: 1) the effect of increasing the portion size of vegetables either by adding extra vegetables or by substituting vegetables for other foods at a meal; 2) the effect of varying the energy density of the vegetables; 3) the effect of combining vegetables with other foods at a meal compared to serving them separately; and 4) the impact of increasing the variety of vegetables. The effectiveness of these meal manipulations in controlling hunger and maintaining satiety while promoting reduced energy intake will be assessed. In all studies, the role of individual characteristics (such as weight status, dietary restraint, and food preferences) in determining responsiveness to meal manipulations will be investigated. With the widespread availability of a variety of large portions of energy-dense foods, along with the likelihood that much of the population is susceptible to such food cues, there is an urgent need to find effective strategies that will help consumers moderate their energy intake. The proposed studies will systematically vary the energy density, portion size, and variety of vegetables to determine how these properties of foods can be used to increase intake of low-energy-dense foods and reduce energy intake in a meal. A better understanding of these effects and how they differ among individuals will facilitate the development of specific meal-related strategies and public health messages to help moderate energy intake and improve diet quality during weight management.