Dietary Intake among Grade 7 Students from Southwestern Ontario Attempting to Gain Weight

To describe dietary intake associated with intentional weight gain among grade 7 students.

Data were collected using the Waterloo web-based Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (WEB-Q) and measured heights/weights were taken to assess Body Mass Index (BMI). Dietary intake and the Canadian Healthy Eating Index-2009 were compared among participants who ate more to gain weight.

Among 1015 participants, approximately 9% of participants were actively attempting to gain weight with more males than females (P < 0.001) and more underweight and normal weight than overweight/obese (P < 0.001) participants. Unadjusted analyses revealed that weight gainers versus non-weight gainers consumed more grain products (P < 0.001), meat and alternatives (P = 0.005), and other foods (P < 0.001), in addition to more total energy (P < 0.001). Although greater amounts of carbohydrates, fat, and protein were consumed among the weight gainers, no differences in the percentage of each macronutrient were observed once corrected for total energy intake. The adjusted model revealed that weight gainers were more likely to consume grain products in line with current recommendations, yet they were further from the recommendations for total fat intake.

Health promotion strategies need to consider intentional weight gain among young adolescents to ensure that appropriate weight gaining strategies are being followed to avoid potential detrimental health effects.