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Characteristics of women who frequently under report their energy intake: a doubly labelled water study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages 1192–1199 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

We applied three dietary assessment methods and aimed at obtaining a set of physical, social and psychological variables that can discriminate those individuals who did not underreport (‘never under-reporters’), those who underreported in one dietary assessment method (‘occasional under-reporters’) and those who underreported in two or three dietary assessment methods (‘frequent under-reporters’).

Participants/Methods:

Sixty-five women aged 18–57 years were recruited for this study. Total energy expenditure was determined by doubly labelled water, and energy intake was estimated by three 24-h diet recalls, 3-day food records and a food frequency questionnaire. A multiple discriminant analysis was used to identify which of those variables better discriminated the three groups: body mass index (BMI), income, education, social desirability, nutritional knowledge, dietary restraint, physical activity practice, body dissatisfaction and binge-eating symptoms.

Results:

Twenty-three participants were ‘never under-reporters’. Twenty-four participants were ‘occasional under-reporters’ and 18 were ‘frequent under-reporters’. Four variables entered the discriminant model: income, BMI, social desirability and body dissatisfaction. According to potency indices, income contributed the most to the total discriminant power, followed in decreasing order by social desirability score, BMI and body dissatisfaction. Income, social desirability and BMI were the characteristics that mainly separated the ‘never under-reporters’ from the under-reporters (occasional or frequent). Body dissatisfaction better discriminated the ‘occasional under-reporters’ from the ‘frequent under-reporters’.

Conclusions:

‘Frequent under-reporters’ have a greater BMI, social desirability score, body dissatisfaction score and lower income. These four variables seemed to be able to discriminate individuals who are more prone to systematic under reporting.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for the study was provided through a grant (no. 03/12337-8) from The State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). We thank Sandra Ribeiro, Camila Maria de Melo, Fabiana Benatti, Desire Coelho, Viviane Polacow, Patrícia Rogeri, Bruna São Pedro, Aline Kazurayama and Geisa Gastal for their help in data collection, and Juliana Pasqual for her help in article preparation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, Brazil

    F B Scagliusi

  2. Division of General Internal and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil,

    E Ferriolli & K Pfrimer

  3. Department of Biodynamics, Laboratory of Nutrition and Applied Metabolism, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    C Laureano, C S F Cunha, B Gualano & A H Lancha Jr

  4. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    B H Lourenço

Authors
  1. F B Scagliusi
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  2. E Ferriolli
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  3. K Pfrimer
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  4. C Laureano
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  5. C S F Cunha
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  6. B Gualano
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  7. B H Lourenço
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  8. A H Lancha Jr
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F B Scagliusi.

Additional information

Contributions: FB Scagliusi is the principal investigator of the project. FB Scagliusi, E Ferriolli and AH Lancha Jr designed the study. FB Scagliusi, K Pfrimer, C Laureano, CSF Cunha and B Gualano collected the data. FB Scagliusi, E Ferriolli, K Pfrimer, C Laureano and CSF Cunha conducted data analysis. All authors wrote the article.

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Scagliusi, F., Ferriolli, E., Pfrimer, K. et al. Characteristics of women who frequently under report their energy intake: a doubly labelled water study. Eur J Clin Nutr 63, 1192–1199 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2009.54

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