Energy and Nutrient Intake From Pizza in the United States

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pizza consumption is a top contributor to children's and adolescents' caloric intake. The objective of this study was to examine children's and adolescents' pizza consumption patterns and its impact on their energy and nutrient intake.METHODS: Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data for children aged 2 to 11 and adolescents aged 12 to 19 were drawn from the 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We tested changes in consumption patterns, including by race/ethnicity, income, meal occasion, and source. Individual-level fixed effects regression models estimated the impact of pizza consumption on total energy intake (TEI) and intakes of sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.RESULTS: From 2003From -2004From to 2009From -2010 energy intake from pizza declined 25% among children (110 to 83 kcal, P # .05). Among adolescents, although caloric intake from pizza among those who consumed pizza fell (801 to 624 kcal, P # .05), overall pizza intake remained unchanged due to slightly higher pizza consumption prevalence. For children and adolescents, pizza intake fell (P # .05) at dinner time and from fast food. For children and adolescents, respectively, pizza consumption was significantly associated with higher net daily TEI (84 kcal and 230 kcal) and higher intakes of saturated fat (3 g and 5 g) and sodium (134 mg and 484 mg) but not sugar intake, and such affects generally did not differ by sociodemographic characteristics. Pizza consumption as a snack or from fast-food restaurants had the greatest adverse impact on TEI. CONCLUSIONS:The adverse dietary effects of pizza consumption found in this study suggest that its consumption should be curbed and its nutrient content improved.WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Among all age groups, children aged 6 to 11 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 are the most frequent consumers of pizza. Pizza consumption is the second highest source of daily energy among children 2 to 18 years old. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:This study examines changes in children' s patterns of pizza consumption by demographic characteristics, source, and meal occasion. Using an individuallevel fixed effects model, we examined the impact of pizza consumption on excess energy intake and diet quality. Dr Powell conceptualized and designed the study, interpreted the data analysis, and drafted and revised the manuscript; Dr Nguyen undertook the data analysis, interpreted the data, and reviewed and revised the manuscript; Dr Dietz contributed to the interpretation of the data and revised and reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript. Excessive energy intake from solid fats and added sugar and sodium among children and adolescents in the United States is a significant public health concern. 1,2 Poor diet puts US youth at risk for a number of nutrition-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. 3,4 Although obesity among preschool-aged children was recently reported to have fallen from ...