A Higher Number of Eating Episodes is Associated with Lower Dietary Energy Density and Better Diet Quality in American Adults

Abstract

To investigate the association between the number of eating episodes and energy intake, energy density, diet quality, and body weight status in American adults, data from the 2011‐2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in this study. Eligible participants (N=4731) were classified into tertiles by the number of eating episodes (either 1‐4, 5‐6, or 蠅7 eating episodes) reported from the first 24‐hour dietary recall. Adjusting for covariates, a higher number of eating episodes was significantly associated with increased energy intake (P<0.001), however, it was not associated with body weight or waist circumference (P>0.05). A higher number of eating episodes was also significantly associated with lower dietary energy density (P<0.01) and this was independent on whether beverage or water intake was included in the calculation of energy density. Compared to participants in the lower tertile of the number of eating episodes, those from the middle and upper tertiles had a significantly higher score of the Healthy Eating Index 2010 (P<0.001), suggesting participants with 5 or more eating episodes had better diet quality. Results from this study revealed that the number of eating episodes was not associated with body weight status in American adults although people with a higher number of eating episodes had a healthier diet.