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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #359952
Title: Top food sources of percentage of energy, nutrients to limit and total gram amount consumed among US adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014

Author
item LEME, ANA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item BARANOWSKI, TOM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item Thompson, Deborah - Debbe
item PHILIPPI, SONIA - Universidade De Sao Paulo
item O'NEIL, CAROL - Louisiana State University Agcenter
item FULGONI III, VICTOR - Nutrition Impact, Llc
item NICKLAS, THERESA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Public Health Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2018
Publication Date: 9/24/2018
Citation: Leme, A.C., Baranowski, T., Thompson, D.J., Philippi, S., O'Neil, C.E., Fulgoni III, V.L., Nicklas, T.A. 2018. Top food sources of percentage of energy, nutrients to limit and total gram amount consumed among US adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. Public Health Nutrition. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018002884.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018002884

Interpretive Summary: Adolescence is an important period of transition from childhood to adulthood with increased freedom of food choices. Understanding dietary intake during this period is important to align diets with current dietary recommendations. Data from 3156 adolescents aged 10–19 years participating in the NHANES 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 were used. A large proportion of total energy consumed was from energy-dense food groups (e.g. sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and sweet bakery products), but also from some major food sources contributing important vitamins and minerals (e.g. beef, cheese and milk). Awareness of food sources may be useful to create or refine dietary strategies within public health initiatives to improve the diets of adolescents.

Technical Abstract: The objective of the study was to identify most commonly consumed foods by adolescents contributing to percentage of total energy, added sugars, saturated fatty acids (SFA), sodium (Na) and total gram intake per day. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014; a cross-sectional study nationally representative of the US population was used. One 24 h dietary recall was used to assess dietary intake of 3156 adolescents aged 10–19 years. What We Eat in America food category classification system was used for all foods consumed. Food sources of energy, added sugars, SFA, Na and total gram amount consumed were sample-weighted and ranked based on percentage contribution to intake of total amount. Three-highest ranked food subgroup sources of total energy consumed were: sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB; 7.8 %); sweet bakery products (6.9 %); mixed dishes – pizza (6.6 %). Highest ranked food sources of total gram amount consumed were: plain water (34.8%); SSB (15.8%); milk (7.2%). Three highest ranked food sources of total Na were: mixed dishes – pizza (8.7 %); mixed dishes –Mexican (6.7 %); cured meats/poultry (6.6 %). Three highest ranked food sources of SFA were: mixed dishes – pizza (9.1 %); sweet bakery products (8.3 %); mixed dishes – Mexican (7.9 %). Three highest ranked food sources of added sugars were: SSB (42.1 %); sweet bakery products (12.1 %); coffee and tea (7.6 %). Identifying current food sources of percentage energy, nutrients to limit and total gram amount consumed among US adolescents is critical for designing strategies to help them meet nutrient recommendations within energy needs.