Snacks: undated. From Oregon State Health Div., MCH-Dental Health Sections, P.O. Box 231, Portland, OR 97207, 4 p., single copies free

Abstract

An overemphasis on the consumption of low-fat foods may be associated with the increasing percentage of adults considered overweight. Although food products are reduced in fat, do other changes in the product formula necessarily result in a significant reduction in their caloric content? The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between original fat snack foods compared to modified fat snack foods in the amount of calories, fat, and cost per serving. A total of 63 product pairs of national brand snack food items was selected by convenience sample from three grocery stores located within the same geographic area of Houston. Data were collected from 5 categories: Salty/crunchy (25 pairs); Frozen or Refrigerated (14 pairs); Cookies (12 pairs); Cake-like Snacks (7 pairs); and Boxed Mixes (5 pairs). The amounts of fat and calories per serving were obtained from the food label. The cost per serving was calculated based on the total package price of each product and the number of servings per container. One-tailed paired t-tests were utilized to interpret results (p<0.05). Results revealed that all five fat-modified snack categories had significantly fewer calories per serving than their original fat counter parts. In all categories except the Boxed Mixes, there was significantly less fat per serving in the fat modified snacks, and the fat modified snack products cost significantly more per serving. The use of fat modified products has potential health benefits for the consumer. If consumed properly, fat modified products can not only reduce fat intake but can conceivably decrease excessive energy intake. Although reduced fat products were shown to cost more per serving, cost is not likely to be a major deterrent when purchasing these products.