Abstract
Background
Strategies need to be developed to reduce preschool children’s energy intake.
Objective
To test the effect of reducing the energy density of an entrée on children’s ad libitum
energy intake.
Subjects
Subjects were 2- to 5-year-old children (37 boys and 40 girls) in a university day-care
facility.
Intervention
In this within-subjects crossover study, children were served a test lunch once per
week for 6 weeks. Two versions of a macaroni and cheese entrée were formulated to
differ in energy density while maintaining similar palatability. Each version was
served to children three times. The higher-energy-density entrée had 2.0 kcal/g and
the other entrée was 30% lower in energy density. Lunch, consumed ad libitum, also
included broccoli, applesauce, and milk.
Main outcome measures
Food intake and energy intake were measured.
Statistical analyses
A mixed linear model tested effect of energy density of the entrée on food intake
and energy intake. Results are reported as mean±standard error.
Results
Decreasing the energy density of the entrée by 30% significantly (P<0.0001) reduced children’s energy intake from the entrée by 25% (72.3±8.3 kcal) and
total lunch energy intake by 18% (71.8±7.9 kcal). Children consumed significantly
more of the lower-energy-density entrée (10.1±4.2 g; P<0.05). Children’s sex-specific body mass index–for-age percentiles did not affect
the relationship between energy density of the entrée and children’s intakes.
Conclusions
Decreasing the energy density of a lunch entrée resulted in a reduction in children’s
energy intake from the entrée and from the total meal. Reducing the energy density
of foods may be an effective strategy to moderate children’s energy intake.
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Biography
K. E. Leahy is a doctoral student and B. J. Rolls is a professor and Guthrie Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
Biography
L. L. Birch is a distinguished professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; she is also director of the Center for Childhood Obesity Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
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© 2008 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
