Snack Frequency and Relative Weight in U.S. Toddlers and Preschoolers: Positively Associated After Adjusting for Confounding Factors

ABSTRACT Most previous research found that snack frequency (SF) and relative weight (RW) were inversely or not associated, but may be biased by misreporting of energy intake. Main aim of this study was to examine the association of SF with RW in toddlers and preschoolers participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 3618). Multiple linear regressions revealed that SF was positively associated to RW after adjusting for confounding factors including reporting accuracy, while not associated without adjusting for confounding factors. When stratified by age group, similar results were evident in preschoolers; no associations were found in toddlers. Keywords Snack frequency, relative weight, toddlers, preschoolers