Severe underreporting of energy intake in normal weight subjects: use of an appropriate standard and relation to restrained eating

Abstract Objective: To assess the influence of different standards and restrained eating on underreporting in healthy, non-obese, weight-stable young subjects. Design and subjects: Eighty-three young adults (20-38 years, 55 women, 28 men) were assessed under weight-stable conditions with a 7-day dietary record and the three-factor eating questionnaire by Stunkard and Messick. Resting energy expenditure (REE; indirect calorimetry) plus data derived from physical activity records (PA) (Standard 1) or REE times an activity factor (AF) (Standard 2) was used as standard for total energy expenditure (TEE). For comparison, doubly labelled water (DLW) was used to measure TEE in a subgroup of subjects. Results: There was an association between self-reported energy intake and Standard 2 (r = 0.72) but not with Standard 1. When compared with DLW both calculated standards were inaccurate, but Standard 2 avoided high levels of overreporting. Using Standard 2 to identify ‘severe' underreporting (SU; as defined by a deviation of energy intake (EI) and TEE of >20%), SU was seen in 37% of all subjects. It was more frequently found in women than in men (49% of women, 14.3% of men, P < 0.05). Underreporting subjects had a reduced EI (P < 0.01) but there were no significant differences in nutritional status (body weight and height, body mass index, fat mass and fat-free mass), energy expenditure and the proportion of energy from macronutrients between normal and underreporting subjects. However, high restraint was associated with a higher degree of underreporting in the total group, whereas disinhibition had an influence only in men. Conclusions: A high prevalence of SU is seen in non-obese subjects. Characteristics of eating behaviour (restraint and disinhibition) were associated with underreporting but seemed to have a different influence in men and wome

Functional food science and behaviour and psychological functions

The impact of ingesting various foods on psychological and behavioural functions is a topic of both interest and concern to the general public. In this article, the scientific literature concerning demonstrated cause-and-effect relationships is reviewed, beginning with methodological considerations specific to the quantification of particular behaviours and psychological events. The essential function of food is to satisfy hunger and the need for essential nutrients. The contributions of macronutrients to appetite and satiety are described, as well as their impact on metabolism and energy balance. Functional properties of macronutrient substitutes (high intensity sweeteners, fat replacers) and flavour enhancers are examined in relation to their contribution to hunger, satiety, and energy balance. The effects of foods and individual nutrients on the performance of diverse psychomotor tasks are studied with consideration given to the various validated quantitative tools used to assess behaviour. The effects of food components on activation, sedation, and affective states such as dysphoria are also reviewed, with special attention given to brain function and neuroactive substances such as serotonin and the endorphins. The case of hyperactivity in children is given special emphasis with reference to the potential influence of sugar and food additives. Safety issues related to food constituents and additives are discussed. Finally, a set of criteria is proposed for the evaluation and elaboration of studies in the behavioural and psychological fields, along with suggestions for future researc

The evolution of the upright posture and gait—a review and a new synthesis

During the last century, approximately 30 hypotheses have been constructed to explain the evolution of the human upright posture and locomotion. The most important and recent ones are discussed here. Meanwhile, it has been established that all main hypotheses published until the last decade of the past century are outdated, at least with respect to some of their main ideas: Firstly, they were focused on only one cause for the evolution of bipedality, whereas the evolutionary process was much more complex. Secondly, they were all placed into a savannah scenario. During the 1990s, the fossil record allowed the reconstruction of emerging bipedalism more precisely in a forested habitat (e.g., as reported by Clarke and Tobias (Science 269:521–524, 1995) and WoldeGabriel et al. (Nature 412:175–178, 2001)). Moreover, the fossil remains revealed increasing evidence that this part of human evolution took place in a more humid environment than previously assumed. The Amphibian Generalist Theory, presented first in the year 2000, suggests that bipedalism began in a wooded habitat. The forests were not far from a shore, where our early ancestor, along with its arboreal habits, walked and waded in shallow water finding rich food with little investment. In contrast to all other theories, wading behaviour not only triggers an upright posture, but also forces the individual to maintain this position and to walk bipedally. So far, this is the only scenario suitable to overcome the considerable anatomical and functional threshold from quadrupedalism to bipedalism. This is consistent with paleoanthropological findings and with functional anatomy as well as with energetic calculations, and not least, with evolutionary psychology. The new synthesis presented here is able to harmonise many of the hitherto competing theories

Das BCM Diät- und Ernährungsprogramm

Das BCM Diät- und Ernährungsprogramm ist ein in Deutschland weit verbreitetes Programm zum Gewichtsmanagement, bei dem anfänglich Produkte zum Mahlzeitenersatz verwendet werden und das die Teilnehmer zu einer bedarfsgerechten und ausgewogenen Mischkosternährung anleitet. Neben der Ernährungsumstellung werden eine Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität und eine Verhaltensänderung angestrebt. In der MIRA-Studie und der Lean-Habits-Study wurde die Wirksamkeit des Programms über ein bis drei Jahre in verschiedenen Settings untersucht. Nach einem Jahr konnten zwischen 33 und 67 Prozent der Teilnehmer ihr Gewicht erfolgreich reduzieren. Nach drei Jahren zeigt sich bei etwa 22 Prozent der Teilnehmer noch eine erfolgreiche Gewichtsreduktion von mindestens fünf Prozent bzw. einem BMI-Punkt

Meal frequency, mental performance and food intake

[in International Journal of Obesity and related metabolic disorders, 23 (Suppl. 5), S.115

Das BCM Diät- und Ernährungsprogramm

Das BCM Diät- und Ernährungsprogramm ist ein in Deutschland weit verbreitetes Programm zum Gewichtsmanagement, bei dem anfänglich Produkte zum Mahlzeitenersatz verwendet werden und das die Teilnehmer zu einer bedarfsgerechten und ausgewogenen Mischkosternährung anleitet. Neben der Ernährungsumstellung werden eine Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität und eine Verhaltensänderung angestrebt. In der MIRA-Studie und der Lean-Habits-Study wurde die Wirksamkeit des Programms über ein bis drei Jahre in verschiedenen Settings untersucht. Nach einem Jahr konnten zwischen 33 und 67 Prozent der Teilnehmer ihr Gewicht erfolgreich reduzieren. Nach drei Jahren zeigt sich bei etwa 22 Prozent der Teilnehmer noch eine erfolgreiche Gewichtsreduktion von mindestens fünf Prozent bzw. einem BMI-Punkt

Auswirkungen der Mahlzeitenfrequenz auf subjektive Leistungsfähigkeit und Energiezufuhr

[in Proceedings of the German Nutrition Society, 1, 14

Validation of the flexible and rigid control dimensions of dietary restraint

Objective: Two subscales for the Eating Inventory (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) are developed and validated: Rigid and Flexible control of eating behavior. Method: Study I is an analysis of questionnaire data and a 7-day food diary of 54,517 participants in a computer-assisted weight reduction program. Study II is a study of 85 subjects used to develop a final item pool. Study III is a questionnaire survey of a random sample (N = 1,838) from the West German population aged 14 years and above used to validate the developed subscales. Results: Rigid control is associated with higher scores of Disinhibition, with higher body mass index (BMI), and more frequent and more severe binge eating episodes. Flexible control is associated with lower Disinhibition, lower BMI, less frequent and less severe binge eating episodes, lower self-reported energy intake, and a higher probability of successful weight reduction during the 1-year weight reduction program. Discussion: Rigid and flexible control represent distinct aspects of restraint having different relations to disturbed eating patterns and successful weight control