Patricia A. Anderson

The role of beverage consumption, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and demographics on body mass index of adolescents.

The percentage of US adolescents who are overweight or at-risk of overweight has increased over the past 20 years. Using data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988–1994, multivariate regression models of body mass index (BMI) for adolescent males and females aged 12–16 years were developed to examine the relative importance of demographics, beverage consumption, physical activity, and sedentary behavior for maintaining a healthy body weight. The models explained between 11% and 19% of the variance in BMI. Demographic characteristics accounted for roughly one-half of the explained variance in the models. Age was positively associated with BMI for males and females. Family income had a negative association with BMI for females, but no association with BMI for males. The variables for race/ethnicity and region were only occasionally statistically significant. A strong negative association was found between BMI and participation in team sports or exercise programs for both males and females. The estimate of the relationship between television viewing and BMI was positive but not statistically significant. Consumption of regular carbonated soft drinks (RCSD) and fruit drinks/ades—two beverages widely hypothesized to be positively associated with BMI—were not statistically significant in any of the models. Consumption of diet carbonated soft drinks was very low and was positively associated with BMI for females but not for males. The potential impacts of increasing participation in teams or exercise programs, reducing television viewing, and reducing RCSD consumption on BMI were examined. Increasing participation in teams or exercise programs consistently had the largest impact on reducing predicted BMI. The impact of reducing television viewing had the next largest impact. Reducing consumption of RCSD had the smallest impact. Policies that revitalize physical activity and physical education programs for all students—not just student athletes—and educational efforts that discourage sedentary behavior will be far more successful in combating overweight than an undue focus on beverage consumption.

Associations of adequate Intake of calcium with diet, beverage consumption, and demographic characteristics among children and adolescents

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine various factors associated with total calcium intake and percent adequate intake (% AI) of calcium by children and adolescents, with respect to age, gender, race/ethnicity, and diet and beverage choices. Design: Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals 1994–96, 98 were used in the analyses. Age groupings (2–3, 4–8, 9–13, and 14–18 year olds) were based on the National Academy of Sciences recommendations for AI of calcium—500, 800, 1,300, and 1,300 mg calcium per day, respectively. Results: Consumption of milk products was strongly and positively associated with calcium intake. Consumption of carbonated soft drinks and other non-dairy beverages was also positively associated with calcium intake, but this association was very weak. Beverage choices of African-American children and adolescents are significantly different than white and Hispanic children and adolescents. For example, African-American adolescent girls consume fewer milk products and more fruit drinks/ades. Average daily carbonated soft drink consumption is approximately 1.6 and 1.0 twelve ounce cans among 14–18 year old boys and girls, respectively. Conclusion: Carbonated soft drink consumption among adolescent girls is modest and does not appear to be linked to decreased calcium intake. The analyses in this paper show that creative effective, efficient, and targeted policies should be considered to help adolescent girls increase calcium intake. Making low-fat milk products, flavored milks, calcium-fortified beverages and foods more attractive and available will help encourage girls to consume more of this important mineral. When adequate calcium intake is not achieved through foods, health professionals should consider recommending calcium supplements.

Income and race/ethnicity influence dietary fiber intake and vegetable consumption.

Grains, fruits, and vegetables are the primary sources of dietary fiber (DF), with the white potato contributing nearly 7% of the DF to the US food supply. The DF composition of the white potato-with or without the skin and regardless of cooking method-compares well with the DF content of other vegetables. Many health benefits, including improved gastrointestinal health, are attributed to greater DF consumption; however, less than 3% of males and females have an adequate intake of DF. Because of this population-wide shortfall, DF is considered to be a nutrient of concern. In this study, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009 to 2010, we examined the mean intake of DF across sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, and poverty threshold. This study shows that mean intake of DF is far below recommendations, with children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years consuming an average of less than 14 g of DF per day. Adults 20+ years old consume, on average, about 17 g of DF per day, and men consume significantly more DF than women. Non-Hispanic black adults consume significantly less DF compared with other race/ethnic groups. Lower family income and living at less than 131% of poverty were associated with lower DF intakes among adults. Federal and local government policies should encourage consumption of all vegetables, including the white potato, as an important source of DF.

Contributions of White Vegetables to Nutrient Intake: NHANES 2009–2010

Vegetables, especially white potatoes, provide significant levels of key nutrients of concern, such as potassium and dietary fiber. Per capita availability (PCA) data for vegetables-often used as a proxy for vegetable consumption-show that vegetable consumption, including consumption of white potatoes, declined in the past decade. Using dietary data for participants in the NHANES 2009-2010, we examined total vegetable, white potato, and French-fried potato consumption among all age-gender groups as well as mean energy, potassium, and dietary fiber intakes. Mean total energy intake for the US population (≥2 y old) was 2080 kcal/d, with white potatoes and French-fried potatoes providing ∼4% and ∼2% of total energy, respectively. Individuals who consumed white potatoes had significantly higher total vegetable and potassium intakes than did nonconsumers. In addition, the proportion of potassium and dietary fiber contributed by white potatoes was higher than the proportion that they contributed to total energy. Among white potato consumers aged 14-18 y, white potatoes provided ∼23% of dietary fiber and ∼20% of potassium but only ∼11% of total energy in the diet. The nutrient-dense white potato may be an effective way to increase total vegetable consumption and potassium and dietary fiber intake.

Changes in Mean Intake of Fatty Acids and Intake of Saturated and trans Fats from Potatoes: NHANES 2005–2006, 2007–2008, and 2009–2010

Studies have shown that higher than usual intakes of trans fatty acids (TFAs) have adverse effects on blood lipids. Because of this, in 2006 the US FDA mandated labeling of TFAs on food packages. The food and restaurant industries, including the potato industry, reformulated their foods to reduce or eliminate partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and TFAs. Before mandatory labeling, grain-based desserts, yeast breads, and French-fried potatoes (FFPs) were the top sources of TFAs in the food supply; by 2007, potato food manufacturers and quick-service restaurants had reduced or eliminated TFAs without increasing saturated fatty acids (SFAs). FFPs are no longer a source of TFAs in the food supply. This study examined energy and fatty acid intake among children aged 6-11 y, adolescents aged 12-18 y, and adults aged ≥19 y across 3 time periods by using data from the NHANES 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2009-2010. On average, intakes of total energy, total fat, SFAs, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) decreased significantly between 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 among children and adolescents; however, the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) did not change. Among adults, intakes of total fat, SFAs, and MUFAs decreased; however, total energy and PUFA intake did not change. On the day of the 2009-2010 survey, ∼13% of children and 10% of adolescents reported consuming fried FFPs, whereas <7% of adults reported consumption of fried FFPs. Intakes of SFAs and TFAs from fried FFPs decreased significantly between 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 among children, adolescents, and adults. This study confirms that intake of TFAs from FFPs is trivial.

Nutrient Intakes and Vegetable and White Potato Consumption by Children Aged 1 to 3 Years

In 2020, for the first time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans will include recommendations for children from birth to age 24 mo. We examined average nutrient intakes as well as total vegetable and white potato (WP) consumption among children aged 1-3 y using day 1 dietary data from the NHANES 2009-2012 and the Food Patterns Equivalents Database 2009-2012. Appropriate survey weights were used to calculate average daily consumption of total vegetables and WPs, which included French-fried potatoes and chips, for boys and girls aged 1-3 y. We calculated mean intakes of selected nutrients of concern, including vitamin D, potassium, dietary fiber (DF), and calcium. We also examined intakes of selected nutrients by major food group. Average intakes of most nutrients, including calcium, by children aged 1-3 y exceeded Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). However, average intakes of potassium, DF, and vitamin D were 67%, 55%, and 49% of DRIs, respectively. Mean total vegetable intake was less than the recommendation of 1 cup/d. Boys and girls aged 1-3 y consumed an average of 0.58 cup equivalents of total vegetables on the day of the survey, which included 0.16 cups of WPs. Average vegetable consumption and mean intakes of potassium, DF, and vitamin D were far below recommendations. The consumption of all vegetables, particularly those that are excellent sources of potassium and DF, such as potatoes, should be encouraged.