Field Notes
Study Pinpoints Top Sources of Empty Calories for Children, Teens
A new study of children and teens found that more than 25% of the calories they consume were considered empty—those from added sugars and solid fats. The top sources of these empty calories were soft drinks, fruit drinks, cookies and brownies, pizza, and ice cream.
“Our findings suggest a need for continued research into what children and adolescents are eating,” says Edwina Wambogo, PhD, who recently was a postdoctoral Cancer Research Training Award Fellow with the National Cancer Institute. “Examining the whole landscape of available foods and beverages for children and adolescents can help inform new ways to promote healthier eating.”
Wambogo, the primary investigator for the study, presented the research as part of NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, a virtual conference recently hosted by the American Society for Nutrition.
The researchers used data from the 2007–2008 through 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze diet trends for children and adolescents aged 2 to 18.
“Over the time period studied, we observed a downward trend in the percent of calories coming from empty calories without any associated decrease in total calorie intake,” Wambogo says. “This trend was mostly driven by declines in added sugars intake, including those from soft drinks and fruit drinks.”
Despite this positive trend, the analysis revealed that, for all age groups studied, more than 25% of their caloric intake came from empty calories, with the percentage of empty calories increasing with age. The top food sources for these calories remained almost the same from 2007–2008 to 2015–2016. However, with increasing age, the sources shifted from beverages such as fruit drinks and flavored milks to foods such as pizza and sweet bakery products. In terms of drinks, older children and teens also tended to consume more calories from soft drinks rather than fruit drinks, flavored milks, and whole milk.
Based on their findings, the researchers suggest the following strategies that might be used to help children and teens consume more healthful foods:
• design interventions that target top sources of energy and empty calories;
• develop nutrition education that addresses hidden sources of empty calories from frequently consumed foods;
• increase marketing that promotes more healthful foods to children and teens and limits marketing of less healthful foods;
• reformulate products to reduce added sugars in beverages; and
• change the food environment to ensure availability of healthful foods and limit access to less healthful foods.
The researchers are planning a follow-up study to examine how the top sources of energy and calories consumed by this age group vary by family income. They also want to study further how added solid fats and sugars in beverages may impact intake of calories among children and adolescents.
— Source: American Society for Nutrition
Video Games Linked to Unhealthful Behaviors in College Men
Results from a new study suggest that college men who play video games tend to exercise less and have poorer eating habits compared with nongamers. Nearly 70% of men included in the study reported playing at least some video games.
Although research has shown that children who play video games are more likely to be overweight and eat poorly, the new study is one of the first to examine this association in college students. The findings could help colleges and universities more effectively educate students who play video games about diet and exercise.
“It’s important to understand that video games are a risk factor for poor lifestyle habits that may contribute to poor health,” says Dustin Moore, a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire. “We know that habits developed in adolescence and early adulthood can stick with people for the rest of their lives, so if we can encourage video game users to eat healthier and exercise more, we could help them live healthier without completely giving up video games.”
Moore presented the research as part of NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, a virtual conference hosted by the American Society for Nutrition.
The new study used information collected from more than 1,000 male college students aged 18 to 24 at the University of New Hampshire as part of the ongoing College Health and Nutrition Assessment Survey study directed by principal lecturer and research leader Jesse Stabile Morrell, PhD.
Students reported daily video game time in an online survey and provided diet information by recording the food they ate over two weekdays and one nonconsecutive weekend day. Physical activity was based on the average steps taken per day as tracked with a pedometer.
The survey revealed that just over 40% of college men play video games at least five hours per week. The researchers found that those who played video games consumed more saturated fat and sodium than nonusers, which suggests they’re eating more salty snacks. Gamers also consumed fewer fruits and vegetables and engaged in less physical activity than nonusers.
The researchers didn’t observe any differences in weight for those who gamed but noted that the poor lifestyle habits observed could contribute to excess weight gain and chronic disease later in life.
“The video game industry is continuing to grow at a fast pace, and more people are playing than ever,” Moore says. “If the findings of our study are indicative of the general population, increases in video game usage could translate to increases in overweight/obesity and chronic disease in the general population, which is already a big issue.”
The researchers say more studies are needed to better understand how various factors, such as video game advertisements or the gaming media used, contributed to the findings. Following up with participants later in life also would reveal whether their habits and body weights change as they get older.
— Source: American Society for Nutrition