Table 1.

Basic characteristics of the sample of US children and adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2012^*

	Children aged 6–11 years (n 4269)		Adolescents aged 12–19 years (n 6193)
	Mean	se	Mean	se	P †
EF (times/d)	4·76	0·03	4·13	0·03	<0·0001
MFenergy% (times/d)‡	2·87	0·01	2·68	0·01	<0·0001
SFenergy% (times/d)‡	1·89	0·03	1·45	0·03	<0·0001
MFself-report (times/d)§	2·88	0·01	2·55	0·01	<0·0001
SFself-report (times/d)§	1·89	0·03	1·58	0·03	<0·0001
MFtime (times/d)||	2·96	0·02	2·40	0·02	<0·0001
SFtime (times/d)||	1·80	0·02	1·73	0·03	0·05
EI (kJ/d)	8204	65	8992	87	<0·0001

EF, eating frequency; MF_energy%, meal frequency (MF) determined based on percentage contribution to total EI; SF_energy%, snack frequency (SF) determined based on percentage contribution to total EI; MF_self-report, MF determined based on self-report; SF_self-report, SF determined based on self-report; MF_time, MF determined based on the time consumed; SF_time, SF determined based on the time consumed; EI, energy intake.

^*Analyses are based on participants with complete data on two 24 h dietary recalls as well as complete information on the variables of interest. All dietary variables are based on mean values of two 24 h dietary recalls.

^† P values for differences between children and adolescents based on independent t test.

^‡A meal was defined as any eating episode comprising ≥15 % of total EI, regardless of the time of day or composition of foods and beverages consumed; all other eating episodes were classified as snacks.

^§Self-reports of breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper and dinner or their equivalents in Spanish were considered as meals; all other self-reported eating events were considered as snacks.

^||Meals were defined as eating events reported during selected times of the day (0.600–09.00, 12.00–14.00 and 17.00–20.00 hours); all other eating occasions were considered as snacks.