Cancer Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170124, Ecuador.
One Health Research Group, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito 170124, Ecuador.
Nutrients. 2024 Aug 20;16(16):2769. doi: 10.3390/nu16162769.
This paper aims to examine the association between meal duration and obesity indicators among Spanish adolescents.
We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) project involving 755 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (54.8% girls) from three secondary schools in the Region of Murcia, Spain. To evaluate overall meal duration, participants were asked how long (on average) breakfast, morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks, and dinner typically last. Subsequently, global meal duration was measured, and the participants were categorized into tertiles. Obesity-related indicators, including body mass index (BMI) z score, waist circumference (WC), and skinfold thickness, were assessed. The analyses were adjusted for potential confounders such as sex, age, socioeconomic status, physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet quality, and energy intake.
Concerning meal duration status, adolescents with long meal durations had the lowest estimated marginal means of BMI z score, WC, and body fat percentage (using the sum of triceps and calf skinfolds). However, significant differences between adolescents with a long meal duration and those with a short meal duration were observed only for BMI z score ( = 0.008), and WC ( = 0.020). Furthermore, significant differences in BMI z score ( = 0.017) between adolescents with a long meal duration and those with a moderate meal duration were identified.
These findings underscore the importance of promoting slower eating habits as part of obesity prevention strategies. Future studies should explore the causality of this association and its potential for behavioral interventions.
本文旨在研究西班牙青少年用餐时间与肥胖指标之间的关系。
我们对来自西班牙穆尔西亚地区三所中学的 755 名 12 至 17 岁青少年（54.8%为女孩）进行了一项横断面分析，该研究基于“健康饮食和日常生活活动”（EHDLA）项目的数据。为了评估总体用餐时间，参与者被问到早餐、上午零食、午餐、下午零食和晚餐的平均时长。随后，我们测量了总的用餐时间，并将参与者分为三个三分位组。评估了与肥胖相关的指标，包括体重指数（BMI）z 评分、腰围（WC）和体脂厚度。对性别、年龄、社会经济地位、体力活动、久坐行为、饮食质量和能量摄入等潜在混杂因素进行了调整。
在餐时持续时间方面，较长餐时持续时间的青少年 BMI z 评分、WC 和体脂百分比（三头肌和小腿皮褶厚度之和）的估计边际均值最低。然而，仅在 BMI z 评分（ = 0.008）和 WC（ = 0.020）方面观察到长餐时持续时间的青少年与短餐时持续时间的青少年之间存在显著差异。此外，还发现长餐时持续时间的青少年与中餐时持续时间的青少年的 BMI z 评分存在显著差异（ = 0.017）。
这些发现强调了促进缓慢进食习惯作为肥胖预防策略的一部分的重要性。未来的研究应该探讨这种关联的因果关系及其对行为干预的潜力。
