A new approach for evaluation of meal quality and meal patterns

Abstract

An objective, nutritionally orientated classification system is necessary to evaluate the frequency, nutritional quality and temporal distribution of eating events in dietary surveys. In this paper a system to classify eating events qualitatively with regard to the types of food items consumed is described and demonstrated. It comprises eight food categories and criteria for their combination into four types of meals and three types of snacks of various nutrient composition. The food categories represent food items of animal and plant origin, and also food products containing sucrose and beverages containing alcohol or lacking energy and nutrients. Classification requires individual data collected by established food‐record or recall methods. Data on consumed amounts is not required to classify qualitatively the eating events per se, but is required for quantitative calculations of their content, composition and relative contribution to total intakes. The application of the system to dietary data (80 repeated 24‐h recalls, 517 eating events) of 16 male three‐shift workers showed that classification of eating events was easy and largely unequivocal compared to traditional methods. Subsequent calculations showed expected differences between eating types with regard to content and relative quality. The meal‐classification system might be used as a cost‐effective method to evaluate the nutritional profile of meal patterns in surveys.

Food Intake in Healthy Young Adults: Effects of Time Pressure and Social Factors

“…They were not told the detailed purpose of the questionnaire, and were not advised as to the exact meaning to be placed on the options describing the type of meal (see C and D, above). These are important and unresolved issues, and have received considerable debate (Lennernas et al, 1993a(Lennernas et al, , 1993b(Lennernas et al, , 1995Gatenby, 1997). They are rather less relevant in this study, since the aim was to relate intra-individual differences in food intake to aspects of the waking day, and all that is required was for internal consistency on the part of each subject.…”

Estilo de vida e formação médica: impacto sobre o perfil nutricional

“…Evidências recentes têm demonstrado que o débito ou restrição do sono está relacionado à alteração do comportamento alimentar, com aumento de apetite 48 , desejo por alimentos mais calóricos 48,54 , com consequente ganho de peso 49,51 , e desenvolvimento de doenças como diabetes mellitus tipo II e dislipidemias 50,51 .…”

“…Além disso, é bem documentado na literatura que o tempo de sono é negativamente correlacionado à prevalência de obesidade em diferentes populações 49,[54][55][56][57][58] .…”

Transtornos alimentares e padrão circadiano alimentar: uma revisão

“…Estudo mostrou que o apetite por nutrientes que continham alta quantidade de carboidratos, incluindo doces, biscoitos salgados e tubérculos, aumentou de 33 para 45%, mas o apetite por frutas, vegetais e alimentos com alta quantidade de proteínas foi pouco afetado 44 . Lennernas et al 48 observaram uma grande preferência pelo consumo de lanches rápidos e calóricos durante o horário de trabalho nos trabalhadores noturnos.…”