Abstract
Obesity prevalence has been simultaneously increasing with high consumption of large food portion sizes (PS). However, there is scarce information on PS of energy-dense (ED) foods as a potential risk factor of obesity in adolescents. In the present study, we investigate the association between the PS of the most ED foods and body composition. A sample of 1889 adolescents (54.4% females) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence cross-sectional multicenter study (HELENA–CSS) study were included. Most ED foods (e.g., cheese) were selected according to higher fat and/or sugar content and low fiber and water. Linear and ordinal logistic regression models were adjusted for age, physical activity, total energy intake (TEI), and socioeconomic status (SES). Analysis was performed both in those adolescents reporting plausible energy intake according to the approach of Goldberg et al. and in the whole sample. In male plausible reporters, PS from “breakfast cereals” showed a significant and positive association with BMI (β = 0.012; 0.048). PS from “carbonated soft drinks” in males (OR = 1.001; 95% CI 1.000; 1.002) and “bread and rolls” in females (OR = 1.002; 95% CI 1.000; 1.004) were associated with higher probability of having obesity, while “sweet bakery products” were associated with lower probability of having obesity (OR = 0.996; 95% CI 0.991; 0.999) in females. The present study suggests association between PS of ED foods and obesity in European adolescents. Prospective studies are needed to examine the effect of prolonged exposure to large PS and obesity development.
Highlights
According to WHO reports, overweight and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents aged between 5 and 19 years continuously rose from just 4% in 1975 to over 18% in 2016, corresponding with over 340 million affected persons worldwide [1]
The results indicated that males had a significantly higher mean of total energy intake (TEI) and higher mean intake from macronutrients than females (p < 0.001)
In conclusion, large portion sizes (PS) of “sweet bakery products” were found to be associated with a lower body composition among plausible females reporters, while increase PS from “breakfast cereals” groups were correlated with higher body mass index (BMI) in males
Summary
According to WHO reports, overweight and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents aged between 5 and 19 years continuously rose from just 4% in 1975 to over 18% in 2016, corresponding with over 340 million affected persons worldwide [1]. Previous studies found that the PS of some prepacked foods, as well as menu sizes consumed in restaurants, have increased dramatically over the last 30 years, concurred with the recent increase in obesity prevalence [12,13]. Increased PS of foods commonly served in restaurants and market is considered as a major component of the food environment that contributes to the excess of energy consumption and the development of obesity in all age groups [10,14]. Several short-term controlled feeding trials found that serving PS and the amount of energy consumed per meal were associated significantly with a higher body mass index (BMI) percentile in school-aged males and adolescents of both genders but not in the youngest children (3 to 5 years) [15,16,17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
