Zerva A, Nassis G P, Krekoukia M, Psarra G, Sidossis L S
Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Int J Sports Med. 2007 Mar;28(3):265-70. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-924349. Epub 2006 Oct 6.
The aim of this study was twofold: a) to examine the association between eating frequency and body composition in children, and b) to identify possible factors that may explain this relationship. Body composition (anthropometry) and dietary intake (3-day food records) were assessed in a cohort of 151 children. After excluding the underreporters (n = 20), data from 131 children (66 boys and 65 girls) aged 9.9 +/- 0.1 yr with a BMI of 19.6 +/- 0.4 kg/m (2) (means +/- se) were used for further analysis. Children were categorized in tertiles based on the daily number of eating episodes. Physical activity was assessed in a subgroup of 48 volunteers with 4-day accelerometry (RT3, Stayhealthy Inc., Monrovia, CA, USA). The number of eating episodes was inversely associated (p < 0.05) with the sum of skinfolds (r = - 0.17) and % body fat (r = - 0.18) after controlling for age and sex. Frequent eaters presented lower total (p < 0.05) and central adiposity (p < 0.01) compared with the infrequent ones. This was despite the fact that energy intake was higher for the frequent eaters (2077.0 +/- 64.3 vs. 1813.0 +/- 37.8 kcals/day for the frequent and the infrequent eaters, respectively, p < 0.05). Actually, frequent eaters devoted more time to physical activity than infrequent ones (624.7 +/- 13.5 vs. 559.2 +/- 23.1 min/day, p < 0.05). In conclusion, high eating frequency was associated with more favorable body composition in this cohort of school children. Increased energy expenditure due to physical activity may, at least in part, explain the favorable body composition of children who eat frequently.
a）研究儿童进食频率与身体成分之间的关联，b）确定可能解释这种关系的因素。对151名儿童组成的队列进行了身体成分（人体测量）和饮食摄入（3天饮食记录）评估。在排除低报告者（n = 20）后，对131名年龄为9.9±0.1岁、BMI为19.6±0.4 kg/m²（均值±标准误）的儿童（66名男孩和65名女孩）的数据进行进一步分析。根据每日进食次数将儿童分为三个三分位数组。对48名志愿者组成的亚组采用4天加速度计（RT3，Stayhealthy公司，美国加利福尼亚州蒙罗维亚）评估身体活动情况。在控制年龄和性别后，进食次数与皮褶厚度总和（r = - 0.17）和体脂百分比（r = - 0.18）呈负相关（p < 0.05）。与不频繁进食者相比，频繁进食者的总体脂（p < 0.05）和中心性肥胖程度更低（p < 0.01）。尽管频繁进食者的能量摄入量更高（频繁进食者为2077.0±64.3千卡/天，不频繁进食者为1813.0±37.8千卡/天，p < 0.05）。实际上，频繁进食者比不频繁进食者投入更多时间进行身体活动（624.7±13.5分钟/天对559.2±23.1分钟/天，p < 0.05）。总之，在这一学龄儿童队列中，高进食频率与更有利的身体成分相关。因身体活动导致的能量消耗增加可能至少部分解释了频繁进食儿童有利的身体成分。
