Adolescence proves to be one of the most vulnerable development stages in the life of humans and therefore dietary assessment of this group is important, but complex. This is due to rapid growth during puberty and the development of new eating patterns that influence dietary intake. Adequate dietary intake in this age group is crucial, since adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia, inadequate growth and dental caries can occur. Furthermore, dietary imbalance is a significant risk factor that can lay the groundwork for developing preventable complications in late adolescence and adult life such as non-communicable chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes mellitus type II and certain cancers, all leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Given the vulnerability of adolescents in terms of dietary intake, understanding their dietary intake is crucial. Dietary assessment of adolescents is influenced by social, physiological and psychological changes making accurate measurement of this group difficult. Hence, it is of fundamental importance to find a golden standard in terms of a dietary assessment method to use in this group. Several international studies investigated validity and reproducibility of the dietary intake of adolescents, measured with different dietary assessment methods. However, in South Africa only three validity and reproducibility studies have been published and none of them focused exclusively on adolescents. Since the validity of the results of dietary assessment methods of international studies cannot be extrapolated to South African black adolescents, this study emanated from the need to investigate whether multiple 24-hour recalls are valid and reproducible when used to assess the dietary intakes of black adolescents in a convenience sample of grade eight learners from a high school in a township in the North West Province. The study was nested in the multidisciplinary "Physical, Activity in the Young" (PLAY) study. Firstly, the optimal number of 24-hour recalls was determined by calculation of reproducibility coefficients for energy, selected nutrients and food groups. Results showed that four repeated 24-hour recalls provided the optimal reproducibility for black peri-urban South African adolescents. Secondly, the search for a reference method to compare energy intake against energy expenditure led to an investigation into basal metabolic rate equations and physical activity factors with the intention of estimating the energy expenditure. Validity of reported energy intake assessed by multiple 24-hour recalls and estimated energy expenditure was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the dependent t-test. The Pearson correlation test revealed low associations between energy intake and energy expenditure for boys (0.32) and girls (0.17), while the dependent t-test of the energy intake between the different measured occasions showed little difference, which could be explained by the high within participant variation and lower variation between the different participants. The low correlation coefficients showed that there was no association between reported energy intake and mean estimated energy expenditure; thus also no agreement. As a result, multiple 24-hour recalls measured over two years with only five 24-hour recalls did not give a valid measurement of the energy intake of black peri-urban adolescents. Lastly, the ratio of reported energy intake over energy expenditure was evaluated against the energy cut-off points, specifically calculated for age and ethnic group. It indicated that 85% of the participants underreported their energy intake. These results could have been influenced by the estimated basal metabolic rate equations that could have estimated the basal metabolic rate of this group incorrectly or could be due to the inability of the group to recall their physical activity levels correctly. Therefore it is recommended that further validity studies regarding dietary intake need to be performed on adolescents. It is suggested that energy expenditure as a reference method should be measured by using a calorimeter or the doubly labeled water method and then compared with the reported energy intake. Analysing different biochemical determinants of nutritional intake could also be used as an objective reference method to assess the validity of dietary data obtained from questionnaires. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Dietetics)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Adolescence proves to be one of the most vulnerable development stages in the life of humans and therefore dietary assessment of this group is important, but complex. This is due to rapid growth during puberty and the development of new eating patterns that influence dietary intake. Adequate dietary intake in this age group is crucial, since adverse effects such as iron deficiency anemia, inadequate growth and dental caries can occur. Furthermore, dietary imbalance is a significant risk factor that can lay the groundwork for developing preventable complications in late adolescence and adult life such as non-communicable chronic diseases including obesity and diabetes mellitus type II and certain cancers, all leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Given the vulnerability of adolescents in terms of dietary intake, understanding their dietary intake is crucial. Dietary assessment of adolescents is influenced by social, physiological and psychological changes making accurate measurement of this group difficult. Hence, it is of fundamental importance to find a golden standard in terms of a dietary assessment method to use in this group. Several international studies investigated validity and reproducibility of the dietary intake of adolescents, measured with different dietary assessment methods. However, in South Africa only three validity and reproducibility studies have been published and none of them focused exclusively on adolescents. Since the validity of the results of dietary assessment methods of international studies cannot be extrapolated to South African black adolescents, this study emanated from the need to investigate whether multiple 24-hour recalls are valid and reproducible when used to assess the dietary intakes of black adolescents in a convenience sample of grade eight learners from a high school in a township in the North West Province. The study was nested in the multidisciplinary "Physical, Activity in the Young" (PLAY) study. Firstly, the optimal number of 24-hour recalls was determined by calculation of reproducibility coefficients for energy, selected nutrients and food groups. Results showed that four repeated 24-hour recalls provided the optimal reproducibility for black peri-urban South African adolescents. Secondly, the search for a reference method to compare energy intake against energy expenditure led to an investigation into basal metabolic rate equations and physical activity factors with the intention of estimating the energy expenditure. Validity of reported energy intake assessed by multiple 24-hour recalls and estimated energy expenditure was tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the dependent t-test. The Pearson correlation test revealed low associations between energy intake and energy expenditure for boys (0.32) and girls (0.17), while the dependent t-test of the energy intake between the different measured occasions showed little difference, which could be explained by the high within participant variation and lower variation between the different participants. The low correlation coefficients showed that there was no association between reported energy intake and mean estimated energy expenditure; thus also no agreement. As a result, multiple 24-hour recalls measured over two years with only five 24-hour recalls did not give a valid measurement of the energy intake of black peri-urban adolescents. Lastly, the ratio of reported energy intake over energy expenditure was evaluated against the energy cut-off points, specifically calculated for age and ethnic group. It indicated that 85% of the participants underreported their energy intake. These results could have been influenced by the estimated basal metabolic rate equations that could have estimated the basal metabolic rate of this group incorrectly or could be due to the inability of the group to recall their physical activity levels correctly. Therefore it is recommended that further validity studies regarding dietary intake need to be performed on adolescents. It is suggested that energy expenditure as a reference method should be measured by using a calorimeter or the doubly labeled water method and then compared with the reported energy intake. Analysing different biochemical determinants of nutritional intake could also be used as an objective reference method to assess the validity of dietary data obtained from questionnaires. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Dietetics)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Obesity research remains a high priority worldwide, given the sustained high levels of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) and class III obesity (body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) across many demographic groups. One component of obesity research is the study of how diet can contribute to obesity, and thus it is crucial to evaluate how existing dietary assessment methods perform for people with obesity, and to develop or refine methods to enhance their accuracy. Researchers should be prepared to include more individuals with obesity and class III obesity, a growing demographic, in studies that assess dietary intake. With the inclusion of these groups, it is vital to consider the potential impact of weight bias and weight stigma on dietary research. Weight bias is negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity, while weight stigma is how these attitudes collectively devalue people with obesity, which could result in acts of discrimination. This dissertation: 1) defined the issues of weight bias and weight stigma, and how they affect dietetics practice, including research, 2) determined the representation of participants with class III obesity in studies validating self-reported measures of dietary assessment using doubly-labeled water, and 3) explored how weight bias and weight stigma might impact misreporting of energy intake among people with overweight and obesity. Findings include that: 1) weight bias and weight stigma are important issues when working with people with obesity, and dietetics professionals can address these in many areas of practice; 2) in studies validating self-reported dietary assessment methods using doubly-labeled water, people with class III obesity are underrepresented, and thus the validity of existing methods to assess diet among people with class III obesity requires further research; 3) in a sample of participants with self-reported overweight and obesity, previous experiences of weight stigma were common, though internalized weight bias, weight bias toward others, and experiences of weight stigma were not predictive of the validity of energy intake reporting. Researchers should consider the potential impact of weight stigma on recruitment, retention, and participant experience when working with participants with obesity. / Doctor of Philosophy / One part of obesity research is the study of how food intake can contribute to obesity. It is crucial to evaluate how well existing methods perform that measure what and how much people eat, especially in people with obesity. As obesity levels rise, researchers should be prepared to include more people with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) and class III obesity (body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) in studies that measure dietary intake. When including people with obesity in studies, it is important to consider the potential impact of weight bias and weight stigma on nutrition research. Weight bias is the idea of negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity, while weight stigma is how these attitudes collectively devalue people with obesity. This dissertation 1) defined the issues of weight bias and weight stigma, and how they affect dietetics practice, including nutrition research, 2) determined the representation of people with class III obesity in studies testing the accuracy of methods collecting information about food intake and 3) explored how weight bias and weight stigma might affect how accurately people with overweight and obesity report the number of calories that they eat. This work found: 1) weight bias and weight stigma are important emerging issues when working with people with obesity, and dietetics professionals can address weight bias and weight stigma in many areas of practice; 2) in studies testing the accuracy of measures that collect food information, people with class III obesity are underrepresented, and more research is needed to determine how accurate these measures are in this group; and 3) in a group of people with overweight and obesity, previous experiences of weight stigma were common, though internalized weight bias, weight bias toward others, and experiences of weight stigma did not predict how well a person reported their calorie intake. Future studies should include more people with class III obesity. Researchers should consider how weight stigma might affect a person's willingness to participate in nutrition studies. Minimizing weight stigma in research may decrease participation barriers for people with obesity in research about nutrition, weight, and health.

Investigou-se a validade do método recordatório de 24 horas, comparando-o com o método de pesagem dos alimentos. A comparação levou em conta alguns atributos do entrevistado (idade, sexo, nível de instrução e ocupação) e do entrevistador (técnico e não técnico) considerando, ainda, o tempo de duração das entrevistas do método recordatório de 24 horas. Verificou-se, além disso, a capacidade desse método na identificação de fatores de risco. Para isso, pesquisou-se o consumo de alimentos, obtendo-se energia e macronutrientes e alguns micronutrientes de 100 indivíduos de 19 anos e mais, de ambos os sexos, residentes no Distrito de Caucaia do Alto, Municipio de Cotia, Estado de São Paulo. Foi elaborado, especificamente para este trabalho, material de apoio, que constituiu de álbum de fotografias de alimentos (com porções diversificadas em vários tamanhos) preparados de acordo com os hábitos alimentares levantados na mesma comunidade, em estudo piloto, acompanhado de lista de equivalência de medidas caseiras e pesos. Considerando energia e nutrientes, os resultados no método recordatório subestimaram a energia, glicídios, ferro e proteínas, para o sexo masculino em alguns grupos etários. Considerando a diferença entre os dois sexos, estas foram significantes para proteínas e glicídios no sexo masculino do grupo etário de 41 a 60 anos. Verificou-se na comparação dos dois métodos, quanto às características do entrevistado, que seu desempenho no recordatório está mais relacionado à idade e sexo do que ao grau de instrução e ocupação. Quanto aos entrevistadores, os não técnicos apresentaram maior percentual de discordâncias no almoço e no jantar. Entrevistas realizadas em tempo inferior a 15 minutos propiciaram mais erros, tanto por omissão como por adição de alimentos. Na identificação de fatores de risco dietético, o método recordatório de 24 horas não conseguiu identificar todos os individuos com alto grau de sensibilidade, como o método de pesagem. / The validity of the 24-hours recall method was investigated compared with the method of the direct weighing of the foodstuffs consumed. The comparison took into consideration some of the data regarding the person interviewed (age, sex, schooling and occupation) and of the interviewer (technician or non-technician) and also considered the duration of the interviews of the 24-hours recall method. Further, the ability of this method to detect risk factors was also taken into consideration. For this purpose, the actual consumption of foodstuffs was researched, thus identifying energy, macro-nutrients and some micro-nutrients, of 100 individuals of 19 years or more of age, of both sexes, resident in the Caucaia do Alto district, Cotia county, São Paulo State. Was prepared especially for this research, pictures of food portions and the list of domestic measures and weight correspondent got from the same community by a previous study. With regard to energy and nutrients, the results of the recall method, underestimated energy, carbohydrates, iron and proteins for the male sex for some age groups. As for the difference between the sexes, there were significant differences for proteins and carbohydrates for the male sex age group of 40 to 60 years. It was discovered that the person interviewed performance in the 24-hours recall method, in terms of age and sex, was better than terms of schooling and occupation. Among the interviewers, the non-technicians showed more errors in lunch and dinner data. The interviews carried out in under 15 minutes contained more errors, whether by omission or by additioin of foodstuffs. In the identification of dietetic risk factors, the 24 hours - recall method didn\'t show a high degree of sensibility as the method of the direct weighing of food.

Investigou-se a validade do método recordatório de 24 horas, comparando-o com o método de pesagem dos alimentos. A comparação levou em conta alguns atributos do entrevistado (idade, sexo, nível de instrução e ocupação) e do entrevistador (técnico e não técnico) considerando, ainda, o tempo de duração das entrevistas do método recordatório de 24 horas. Verificou-se, além disso, a capacidade desse método na identificação de fatores de risco. Para isso, pesquisou-se o consumo de alimentos, obtendo-se energia e macronutrientes e alguns micronutrientes de 100 indivíduos de 19 anos e mais, de ambos os sexos, residentes no Distrito de Caucaia do Alto, Municipio de Cotia, Estado de São Paulo. Foi elaborado, especificamente para este trabalho, material de apoio, que constituiu de álbum de fotografias de alimentos (com porções diversificadas em vários tamanhos) preparados de acordo com os hábitos alimentares levantados na mesma comunidade, em estudo piloto, acompanhado de lista de equivalência de medidas caseiras e pesos. Considerando energia e nutrientes, os resultados no método recordatório subestimaram a energia, glicídios, ferro e proteínas, para o sexo masculino em alguns grupos etários. Considerando a diferença entre os dois sexos, estas foram significantes para proteínas e glicídios no sexo masculino do grupo etário de 41 a 60 anos. Verificou-se na comparação dos dois métodos, quanto às características do entrevistado, que seu desempenho no recordatório está mais relacionado à idade e sexo do que ao grau de instrução e ocupação. Quanto aos entrevistadores, os não técnicos apresentaram maior percentual de discordâncias no almoço e no jantar. Entrevistas realizadas em tempo inferior a 15 minutos propiciaram mais erros, tanto por omissão como por adição de alimentos. Na identificação de fatores de risco dietético, o método recordatório de 24 horas não conseguiu identificar todos os individuos com alto grau de sensibilidade, como o método de pesagem. / The validity of the 24-hours recall method was investigated compared with the method of the direct weighing of the foodstuffs consumed. The comparison took into consideration some of the data regarding the person interviewed (age, sex, schooling and occupation) and of the interviewer (technician or non-technician) and also considered the duration of the interviews of the 24-hours recall method. Further, the ability of this method to detect risk factors was also taken into consideration. For this purpose, the actual consumption of foodstuffs was researched, thus identifying energy, macro-nutrients and some micro-nutrients, of 100 individuals of 19 years or more of age, of both sexes, resident in the Caucaia do Alto district, Cotia county, São Paulo State. Was prepared especially for this research, pictures of food portions and the list of domestic measures and weight correspondent got from the same community by a previous study. With regard to energy and nutrients, the results of the recall method, underestimated energy, carbohydrates, iron and proteins for the male sex for some age groups. As for the difference between the sexes, there were significant differences for proteins and carbohydrates for the male sex age group of 40 to 60 years. It was discovered that the person interviewed performance in the 24-hours recall method, in terms of age and sex, was better than terms of schooling and occupation. Among the interviewers, the non-technicians showed more errors in lunch and dinner data. The interviews carried out in under 15 minutes contained more errors, whether by omission or by additioin of foodstuffs. In the identification of dietetic risk factors, the 24 hours - recall method didn\'t show a high degree of sensibility as the method of the direct weighing of food.

Underreporting in dietary assessment has been linked to dietary restraint (DR) and social desirability (SD). Thus, this study investigated accuracy of reporting energy intake (EI) of a laboratory meal during a 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) in 38 healthy, college-aged (20.3 +/- 1.7 years), normal-weight women (22.4 +/- 1.8 kg/m2), categorized as high or low in DR and SD. Participants consumed a meal (sandwich wrap, chips, fruit, and ice cream) and completed a telephone 24HR. Accuracy of reported intake = (((reported intake - measured intake)/measured intake) x 100) [positive numbers = overreporting]. Overreporting of EI was found in all groups (meal accuracy rate = 43.1 +/- 49.9%). An interaction of SD x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred. SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported EI of chips (19.8 +/- 56.2% vs. 117.1 +/- 141.3%, p < 0.05) and ice cream (17.2 +/- 78.2% vs. 71.6 +/- 82.7%, p < 0.05). An effect of SD occurred, where SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported meal EI (29.8 +/- 48.2% vs. 58.0 +/- 48.8%, p < 0.05). For measured meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High consumed less than DR-Low (437 +/- 169 kcals vs. 559 +/- 207 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x food type (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High as compared to DR-Low consumed less sandwich wrap (156 +/- 63 kcals vs. 210 +/- 76 kcals, p < 0.05) and ice cream (126 +/-73 kcals vs. 190 +/- 106 kcals, p < 0.05). For reported meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High reported consuming less than DR-Low (561 +/- 200 kcals vs. 818 +/- 362 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High reported consuming less ice cream than DR-Low (145 +/- 91 kcals vs. 302 +/- 235 kcals, p < 0.05). Overreporting EI from a laboratory meal was prevalent. However, those high in SD were more accurate in reporting intake, particularly of high-fat foods. Future research is needed to investigate factors that contribute to overreporting.

Underreporting in dietary assessment has been linked to dietary restraint (DR) and social desirability (SD). Thus, this study investigated accuracy of reporting energy intake (EI) of a laboratory meal during a 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) in 38 healthy, college-aged (20.3 +/- 1.7 years), normal-weight women (22.4 +/- 1.8 kg/m2), categorized as high or low in DR and SD. Participants consumed a meal (sandwich wrap, chips, fruit, and ice cream) and completed a telephone 24HR. Accuracy of reported intake = (((reported intake - measured intake)/measured intake) x 100) [positive numbers = overreporting]. Overreporting of EI was found in all groups (meal accuracy rate = 43.1 +/- 49.9%). An interaction of SD x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred. SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported EI of chips (19.8 +/- 56.2% vs. 117.1 +/- 141.3%, p < 0.05) and ice cream (17.2 +/- 78.2% vs. 71.6 +/- 82.7%, p < 0.05). An effect of SD occurred, where SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported meal EI (29.8 +/- 48.2% vs. 58.0 +/- 48.8%, p < 0.05). For measured meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High consumed less than DR-Low (437 +/- 169 kcals vs. 559 +/- 207 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x food type (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High as compared to DR-Low consumed less sandwich wrap (156 +/- 63 kcals vs. 210 +/- 76 kcals, p < 0.05) and ice cream (126 +/-73 kcals vs. 190 +/- 106 kcals, p < 0.05). For reported meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High reported consuming less than DR-Low (561 +/- 200 kcals vs. 818 +/- 362 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High reported consuming less ice cream than DR-Low (145 +/- 91 kcals vs. 302 +/- 235 kcals, p < 0.05). Overreporting EI from a laboratory meal was prevalent. However, those high in SD were more accurate in reporting intake, particularly of high-fat foods. Future research is needed to investigate factors that contribute to overreporting.

No description available.

Introduction: Plusieurs indices de qualité alimentaire globale ont été élaborés en misant sur la consommation de certains nutriments ou aliments, ou des groupes d’aliments. Les indices de la qualité alimentaire globale sont en mesure d’évaluer de manière intégrée les aspects recherchés d’une bonne alimentation. C’est dans ce cadre que le Canadian Healthy Eating Index (C-HEI) a été développé pour évaluer le degré auquel les apports alimentaires des individus rencontrent les consignes du guide alimentaire canadien et les Recommandations nutritionnelles canadiennes. Objectif: Evaluer les liens entre l’indice de la qualité alimentaire globale C-HEI calculé à partir de la moyenne de trois rappels alimentaires de 24 heures et des paramètres nutritionnels, anthropométriques et des indicateurs de santé au recrutement (T1) dans l’étude longitudinale québécoise sur la nutrition et le vieillissement réussi (NuAge). Méthodologie: Des analyses bivariées (coefficients de corrélation, tableaux croisés et la statistique khi deux) ont été réalisées afin de déterminer les associations entre le score total C-HEI et certaines variables nutritionnelles, anthropométriques et le nombre de maladies chroniques. Résultats et discussion: Les participants ont rencontré ou dépassé la plupart de leurs apports nutritionnels de référence. Le C-HEI n’a pas été fortement corrélé aux nutriments individuels (rs= 0,14-0,52, p<0,01). Le C-HEI total était significativement associé aux recommandations canadiennes pour l’apport en fibres (rs= 0,51), le % d’énergie provenant des lipides (rs=-0,60) et des acides gras saturés (rs= -0,59), p<0,01. De plus, la suffisance en protéines et en énergie est augmentée lorsqu’on passait du Q1 (plus faible) à Q4 (plus élevé) du C-HEI (p<0,05). De même, les proportions des sujets ayant des mesures anthropométriques associées aux risques accrus pour la santé sont diminuées en passant du Q1 au Q4 (p<0,05), témoignant ainsi des liens entre une alimentation de bonne qualité et la protection des risques de santé associés à l’embonpoint et à l’obésité. Conclusion : Les résultats de cette recherche ont fourni des preuves additionnelles sur le lien entre le score C-HEI et certains paramètres nutritionnels et anthropométriques d’intérêt, et ce, provenant des données alimentaires quantitatives colligées au sein d’une population âgée vivant dans la communauté. / Introduction: Several diet quality indicators have been developed based on nutrient intakes, foods or food groupings, or a combination of nutrient and foods. Measures of overall diet quality consider numerous aspects of dietary intake. It is within this framework that the Canadian Healthy Eating Index (C-HEI) was adapted to Canadian dietary and nutritional guidance using Canada’s Food Guide and Nutrition recommendations for Canadians. Objectives: To determine the links between the C-HEI using the mean of three 24-hour diet recalls, and certain health outcomes at entry into the study (T1). The analyses were carried out using data collected from participants in the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge). Methodology: Bivariate analyses (Spearman correlation, cross-tabulation and chi-square) were carried out to assess relationships between nutritional and anthropometric variables, the number of chronic disease and the C-HEI. Results and Discussion: Participants met or exceeded most Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). The C-HEI did not show consistent relationships with individual nutrients (rs= 0.14-0.52, p<0.01). However, selected sub-scores of the C-HEI reflect attainment of Canada’s Food Guide recommendations, showing a strong association with dietary fiber intakes (rs= 0.51) and nutrition recommendations addressing percent energy as fat (rs=-0.60) and as saturated fat (rs= -0.59), p<0.01. Energy and protein adequacy increased from Q1 to Q 4 of C-HEI (p<0.05). In addition, proportions of subjects with anthropometric measures associated with a health risk decreased from quartiles Q1 to Q4 (p<0.05), attesting to links between good diet quality and lower health risks associated with overweight and obesity. Conclusion: The C-HEI discriminates overall diet quality based on dietary data collected from 24HR, providing further evidence on the links between the C-HEI and selected nutritional and anthropometric parameters as applied to quantitative dietary data obtained from community-dwelling older adults.

Estudo de caso-controle conduzido na cidade de Porto Alegre, com o objetivo de avaliar a associação do consumo de gorduras saturadas com sobrepeso e obesidade. Foram incluídas 52 crianças e adolescentes com idades entre seis e 19 anos, sendo 26 eutróficos e 26 com sobrepeso ou obesidade. Todos responderam a um questionário que contemplava história familiar, atividade física e hábitos alimentares. O consumo diário de alimentos ricos em ácidos graxos saturados no grupo de casos e controles foi, em média, de 31,63 mg e 23,18 mg, respectivamente (p<0,05). Quando a ingestão foi avaliada pelo questionário de freqüência alimentar, os casos apresentaram consumo mais freqüente de produtos lácteos e carne de gado. Este estudo demonstrou que fatores relacionados a história familiar de obesidade, hábitos alimentares inadequados e sedentarismo influenciam no desenvolvimento da obesidade desde a infância, e que a intervenção nutricional precoce torna-se necessária para prevenção de fatores de risco associados ao desenvolvimento desta patologia. / A case-control study was conducted in Porto Alegre, south Brazil, with the aim of evaluating the association of consumption of saturated fat with overweight or obesity. It was included 52 children and adolescents aged between 6 and 19 years old, being 26 eutrophic people and 26 overweight or obese people. All of them answered a questionnaire that contemplated family history, physical activity and feeding habits. The daily consumption of food rich in saturated fatty acid in the group of cases and controls were in average 31,63 mg and 23,18 mg, respectively (p< 0.05). There was a variation according to the type of food when ingestion was evaluated through the questionnaire of feeding frequency. This study showed that the factors related to family history of obesity, inadequate feeding habits and sedentariness influenced upon the development of obesity since childhood, and that precocious nutritional intervention is necessary to the prevention of risk factors associated to the development of this pathology.