The increase in obesity and lipid disorders in industrialized countries may be due to irregular eating patterns. Few studies have investigated the effects of nighttime snacking on energy metabolism. We examined the effects of nighttime snacking for 13 days on energy metabolism. Eleven healthy women (means ± SD; age: 23 ± 1 yr; body mass index: 20.6 ± 2.6 kg/m(2)) participated in this randomized...

BACKGROUND Snacking among US preschoolers has increased in recent decades, raising questions about whether snacking contributes to dietary excess. OBJECTIVES This research aimed to characterize snacking contributions to dietary excess and to evaluate associations with appetite and weight among preschool-aged children. METHODS This study is a cross-sectional, observational study of 187 Hispa...

This study investigates the dynamic shifts in snacking behaviors and patterns in China. Using four waves (1991, 2004, 2006, and 2009) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), with full socioeconomic and demographic data and 3-day, 24-hour dietary recall data, 45,402 individuals age two and older were studied. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to examine the association of s...

An underlying factor contributing to a lack of consensus in the scientific literature regarding the health effects of snacking may be the diversity of study populations. In fact, the influence of snacking likely varies with different target populations. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that snacking may make important contributions to a healthy diet, especially among old...

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic diseases. Dietary factors are the major modifiable factors through which many of the external forces promoting weight gain act. Thus, with the objective of examining the snacking pattern of the people living in Vadodara city, a cross-sectional study was conducted among the urban populati...

Snacking is common in children and influenced by many factors. The aim of this study is to provide insight of both common and country-specific characteristics of snacking among 4-13 year old children. We analyzed snacking prevalence, energy and nutrient contributions from snacking across diverse cultures and regions, represented by Australia, China, Mexico, and the US using data from respective...

BACKGROUND Snacking is likely to play an important role in the development of overweight and obesity, yet little is known about the contexts of snacking in adolescents or how snacking may influence other dietary habits, like meal skipping. This study examines the contexts in which adolescents snack and whether these contexts are associated with demographic characteristics of adolescents and wit...

In this study, participants (N = 223) were randomised to visualise snacking on fruit, visualise snacking on biscuit bars or no visualisation, and intentions and attitudes towards fruit and biscuit bars, immediate selection of fruit or biscuit bars and subsequent consumption were measured. No effects of visualising snacking on fruit were found once background variables were taken into account. V...

Objective. To compare on- and off-campus snacking patterns among college students pursuing degrees in health-related fields (HRFs) and nonhealth-related fields (NHRFs). Materials and Methods. Snack frequency questionnaire, scales measuring barriers, self-efficacy, and stage of change for healthy snacking, and a snack knowledge test (SKT). Participants. 513 students, 46% HRFs, and 54% NHRFs. The...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to identify the ethnic differences in dietary patterns and its association with socio-economic, dietary and lifestyle practices among adolescents in Kelantan, Malaysia. METHODS A population-based study of 454 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was included. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary patterns and three dietary patterns w...