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Background: In the US, Europe, and throughout the world, abdominal obesity prevalence is increasing. Depressive symptoms may contribute to abdominal obesity through the consumption of diets high in energy density. Purpose: To test dietary energy density ([DED]; kilocalories/gram of food and beverages consumed) for an independent relationship with abdominal obesity or as a mediator between depressive symptoms and abdominal obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 87 mid-life, overweight adults; 73.6% women; 50.6% African-American. Variables and measures: Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) to measure depressive symptoms; 3-day weighed food records to calculate DED; and waist circumference, an indicator of abdominal obesity. Hierarchical regression tested if DED explained waist circumference variance while controlling for depressive symptoms and consumed food and beverage weight. Three approaches tested DED as a mediator. Results: Nearly three-quarters of participants had abdominal obesity, and the mean waist circumference was 103.2 (SD 14.3) cm. Mean values: BDI-II was 8.67 (SD 8.34) which indicates that most participants experienced minimal depressive symptoms, and 21.8% reported mild to severe depressive symptoms (BDI-II ≥ 14); DED was 0.75 (SD 0.22) kilocalories/gram. Hierarchical regression showed an independent association between DED and waist circumference with DED explaining 7.0% of variance above that accounted for by BDI-II and food and beverage weight. DED did not mediate between depressive symptoms and abdominal obesity. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms and DED were associated with elevated waist circumference, thus a comprehensive intervention aimed at improving depressive symptoms and decreasing DED to reduce waist circumference is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This study investigated food choices made by individuals consuming diets differing in energy density and explores relationships between energy density and diet quality. Design: Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey. Subjects: 7,500 adults (older than 19 years) in the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. Statistical Analysis: Energy density values were calculated from reported food intake. Subjects were classified as consuming a low-energy-density diet, medium-energy-density diet, or high-energy-density diet using tertile cutoffs. For each group, the percentage consuming various foods/beverages and the mean amount of foods/beverages they consumed was determined along with mean nutrient intakes. Results: Compared with participants consuming a high-energy-density diet, those with a low-energy-density diet had a lower energy intake but consumed more food, by weight, from most food groups. A low-energy-density diet included a relatively high proportion of foods high in micronutrients and water and low in fat, such as fruits and vegetables. Subjects with a low-energy-density diet consumed fewer (nonwater) beverages such as caloric carbonated beverages. They also consumed less fat and had higher intakes of several important micronutrients, including vitamins A, C, and B-6, folate, iron, calcium, and potassium. Conclusions: These analyses further demonstrate the beneficial effects of a low-energy-density diet, which was associated with lower energy intakes, higher food intakes, and higher diet quality than a high-energy-density diet. To achieve a low-energy-density diet, individuals should be encouraged to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as low-fat/reduced-fat, nutrient-dense, and/or water-rich grains, dairy products, and meats/meat alternatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dietary energy density [kcal/g (kJ/g)] influences energy intake under controlled laboratory conditions. Little is known about the energy density of the diets of free-living persons. Because energy density investigations are a relatively new endeavor, there are neither standard calculation methods nor published nationally representative values. This paper examines the calculation of energy density based on systematic exclusion of beverage categories, presents data on variability, and compares values by sex, age, and race/ethnicity in a representative sample of U.S. adults. Mean daily dietary energy density values for adults (aged >19 y) were calculated using two 24-h recalls from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1994-1996 based on food, food and liquid meal replacements, food and alcohol, food and juice, food and milk, food and juice and milk, food and energy-containing beverages, and food and all beverages. Energy density varied by calculation method, ranging from 0.94 to 1.85 kcal/g (3.93-7.74 kJ/g). Intraindividual-to-interindividual CV ratios were highest for the food and energy-containing beverages calculation. Men reported diets with a higher energy density than women for all calculation methods (P < 0.0001). There were differences by race/ethnicity and an inverse linear trend for age. These data indicate that beverage inclusion schemes should be clearly defined when reporting energy density values. In epidemiologic studies, calculations based on food and all beverages and food and energy-containing beverages may diminish associations with outcome variables. These nationally representative data, which provide an important frame of reference for other studies, indicate that dietary energy density differs by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]