To the Editor:
My purpose is to question the logic of grouping solids fats with added sugars and labeling the combination as empty calories. These terms are used extensively in the Journal's October 2010 research paper by Reedy and Krebs-Smith (
1
). The authors determined that about 54% of the empty calories consumed by children and adolescents were from solid fats and 46% were from added sugars.The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (
2
) used the same terminology as does the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 (3
).First: Added Sugars. These are primarily sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup. Both are highly refined food ingredients and are devoid of food nutrients other than being sources of energy. Certainly they are empty calories.
Second: Solid Fats. Foods containing solid fats as a separate added ingredient (usually as shortening) contribute only about 25% of total solid fats consumption (
4
). Grain-based desserts and fried potatoes have the most.Dairy products, meat, and mixed dishes that contain meat and/or dairy are the primary sources (
4
) for the solid fats. They account for two thirds to three quarters of our intake (4
). These fats are a part of a food (like the solid fat in cheese which is in pizza) and in the beverage milk. They are not extracted or refined.Reference
4
(Bachman and colleagues) is the key reference. Their data were calculated from the 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and were utilized in the Journal research paper cited by Reedy and Krebs-Smith. Bachman and colleagues listed the 14 top sources of solid fats and their percent contribution to total solid fats (Table).TableFourteen top sources of solid fats and their percent contribution to total solid fats
| Cumulative rank contribution (%) | Food item | Contribution to intake (%) | Cumulative contribution (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grain-based desserts | 10.9 | 10.9 |
| 2 | Regular cheese | 7.7 | 18.7 |
| 3 | Sausage, franks, bacon, and ribs | 7.1 | 25.8 |
| 4 | Pizza | 5.9 | 31.7 |
| 5 | Fried white potatoes | 5.5 | 37.2 |
| 6 | Dairy desserts | 5.1 | 42.4 |
| 7 | Whole milk | 4.6 | 46.9 |
| 8 | Mexican mixed dishes | 4.4 | 51.3 |
| 9 | Pasta and pasta dishes | 4.2 | 55.6 |
| 10 | Burgers | 4.1 | 59.7 |
| 11 | Chicken and chicken mixed dishes | 4.0 | 63.7 |
| 12 | Eggs and egg mixed dishes | 3.9 | 67.6 |
| 13 | Reduced-fat milk | 3.6 | 71.1 |
| 14 | Beef and beef mixed dishes | 2.6 | 73.7 |
a Data from reference (
4
).In contrast to added sugars, the solid fats, other than those in grain-based desserts and fried white potatoes, contain numerous nutrients.
Dairy and meat solid fats are partially composed of anti-microbial fatty acids such as butyric, palmitoleic, and lauric (). These fats also contain a host of micronutrients, most obviously the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. The vitamins are utilized in a wide range of metabolic reactions (
6
). Vitamin K-2 is another fat-soluble vitamin that is found in the fatty portions of meat and dairy (7
, 8
) and is primarily involved in calcium utilization. Conjugated linoleic acid is in the body fat and milkfat of ruminants. It has been shown to be anticarcinogenic (9
). In some animal and human studies it has promoted weight loss in overweight individuals (10
).My conclusion should be obvious. Most of the solid fats in the food supply are not empty calories—quite the contrary. To group them with added sugars is illogical.
Thank you for giving consideration to this differing point of view.
References
- Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States.J Am Diet Assoc. 2010; 110: 1477-1484
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th ed. US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC2005
- Report of DGAC on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.(Accessed October 16, 2010)
- Sources of food group intakes among the US population, 2001-2002.J Am Diet Assoc. 2008; 108: 804-814
- Know Your Fats.Bethesda Press, Silver Spring, MD2000
- The fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.in: Understanding Nutrition. 11th ed. Thompson Higher Education, Belmont, CA2008: 369-389
- Determination of phylloquinone and mena-quinones in food.Heamostatis. 2000; 30: 298-307
- Vitamin K contents of meat, dairy and fast food in the U.S. diet.J Agric Food Chem. 2006; 54: 463-467
- Conjugated linoleic acid isomers: Differences in metabolism and biological effects.Biofactors. 2009; 35: 105-111
- Antiobesity mechanisms of action of conjugated linoleic acid.J Nutr Biochem. 2010; 21: 171-179
Article info
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ScienceDirect
Access this article on ScienceDirectLinked Article
- Dietary Sources of Energy, Solid Fats, and Added Sugars among Children and Adolescents in the United StatesJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationVol. 110Issue 10
- ErratumJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationVol. 111Issue 4
- PreviewIn “Labeling Solid Fats and Added Sugars as Empty Calories,” a Letter to the Editor from Richard Perlmutter, MS, that appeared in the February 2011 Journal of the American Dietetic Association (pp 222-223), there is an error in the Table included with the letter. The first column of the table should be labeled simply “Rank” rather than “Cumulative rank contribution (%).”
- Full-Text
- Preview
- Authors' ResponseJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationVol. 111Issue 2
