Impact of Snacking Pattern on Overweight and Obesity Risk in a Cohort of 11- to 13-Year-Old Adolescents
Corresponding Author
Simona Bo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Simona Bo, Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this authorLuca De Carli
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorElena Venco
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorIlaria Fanzola
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorMaria Maiandi
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorFranco De Michieli
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorMarilena Durazzo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorGuglielmo Beccuti
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorPaolo Cavallo-Perin
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorEzio Ghigo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorGian P. Ganzit
Sport Medicine Institute of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Simona Bo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Simona Bo, Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this authorLuca De Carli
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorElena Venco
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorIlaria Fanzola
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorMaria Maiandi
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorFranco De Michieli
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorMarilena Durazzo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorGuglielmo Beccuti
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorPaolo Cavallo-Perin
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorEzio Ghigo
Department of Medical Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorGian P. Ganzit
Sport Medicine Institute of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorThe authors report no conflicts of interest.
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The association between snacking habits and overweight in adolescents is unclear. We evaluated the relation between snacking patterns and overweight/obesity in a cohort of 11- to 13-year-old Italian adolescents.
Methods:
The dietary habits of 400 randomly selected adolescents were evaluated; those with body mass index ≥85th percentile were considered as overweight/obese. Participants were classified based on the percentage of caloric intake from snacks (<15%, 15%–20%, >20%), snacking frequency (1, 2, ≥3), and timing of consuming the most caloric snack (morning, afternoon, evening).
Results:
A minority of participants (13/400, 3.3%) did not consume any snacks; 5/13 (38.5) of them were overweight/obese. Among snackers (387/400), overweight/obesity prevalence was 10.4%, 14.4%, 20.5%, respectively, in those consuming <15%, 15% to 10%, and >20% of their energy intake from snacks. In a Poisson regression model, the overweight/obesity relative risks (RRs) were 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58–3.15) and 2.32 (1.10–4.89) for 15% to 20% and >20% calories/day from snacks, respectively. Overweight/obesity prevalence (from 9.6% to 22.6%) was correlated with snacking frequency (RR 2.20, 95% CI 0.92–5.27, and RR 4.17, 95% CI 1.60–10.9, for 2 and ≥3 snacks per day, respectively). The most caloric snacks were consumed in the morning (180/387) and afternoon (179/387); 28.6% of the predominantly evening snackers (28/387) were overweight/obese (RR 3.12, 95% CI 1.17–8.34).
Conclusions:
Increased snacking calories, frequency, and evening snacking are independently associated with overweight/obesity in Italian middle-school adolescents.
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