Table 3. Meal parameters by weight statusa at baseline (two years of age).
| MEAL PARAMETER | Full sample (n = 1939) | Normal weight (n = 1606) | Overweight (n = 333) | P valueb | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) | Min | Max | Mean (SD) | Min | Max | Mean (SD) | Min | Max | ||
| Meal size (kcals per eating occasion) | 180 (49) | 59 | 417 | 178 (49) | 59 | 417 | 190 (49) | 77 | 347 | <0.001 |
| Meal frequency (meals per day) | 5.0 (1.0) | 1.7 | 9.7 | 5.0 (1.0) | 1.7 | 9.7 | 5.0 (1.0) | 2.7 | 8.7 | 0.53 |
| Daily energy intake (kcals per day) | 1038 (185) | 445 | 1862 | 1026 (182) | 445 | 1701 | 1092 (187) | 648 | 1862 | <0.001 |
| Meal composition | ||||||||||
| Meal weight (g) | 191 (61) | 36 | 401 | 188 (60) | 36 | 395 | 205 (65) | 75 | 401 | <0.001 |
| Meal energy density (kcal/g)c | 1.3 (0.4) | 0.5 | 3.2 | 1.3 (0.4) | 0.5 | 3.2 | 1.3 (0.4) | 0.6 | 3.0 | 0.11 |
| Protein per meal (%E) | 11.8 (1.8) | 6.2 | 21.1 | 11.8 (1.7) | 6.1 | 21.1 | 11.9 (1.7) | 8.0 | 17.3 | 0.58 |
| Carbohydrate per meal (%E) | 54.8 (6.1) | 26.9 | 77.8 | 54.8 (6.1) | 26.9 | 77.8 | 54.5 (6.0) | 41.3 | 77.3 | 0.38 |
| Fat per meal (%E) | 33.4 (5.2) | 13.3 | 64.5 | 33.4 (5.2) | 17.4 | 64.5 | 33.6(5.0) | 13.4 | 48.9 | 0.45 |
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; %E, percentage of meal energy; SDS, Standard Deviation Score.
aWeight status at baseline (two years of age) was derived using weight standard deviation scores (SDS). Children were classified as overweight (n = 333) or normal weight (n = 1606) relative to the UK population mean in 1990, for the child’s age, sex, and gestational age39. Overweight was classified as a weight SDS > 1.04 which equates to scores above the 85th percentile39, and normal weight as weight SDS< = 1.04; below the 85th percentile.
bUnivariate Complex Samples Linear Regression Models (CSGLMs) tested for significance of mean difference between normal weight and overweight children for each meal parameter; significant differences (p-value < 0.01) are shown in bold.
cResults are largely unchanged by calculating energy density of food only (excluding the contribution of drinks to the weight of each meal) (p = 0.84).