EXTENDED USE OF FOODS MODIFIED IN FAT AND SUGAR CONTENT - NUTRITIONALIMPLICATIONS IN A FREE-LIVING FEMALE-POPULATION

The nutritional implications of the consumption of reduced-fat and red uced-sugar foods were assessed in nonobese, free-living female consume rs in a 10-wk intervention trial. Subjects in control (C; n = 13), red uced-fat (RF; n = 17), and reduced-sugar (RS; n = 19) groups, all init ially nonusers of reduced-fat and reduced-sugar products, kept 4-d foo d-intake records to establish energy and macronutrient intakes at base line and at 2, 4, 7, and 10 wk. Groups RF and RS were instructed to us e reduced-fat and reduced-sugar foods, respectively, ad libitum in pla ce of habitually consumed foods with traditional composition, whereas group C was to maintain their usual diet. All foods were purchased by subjects in normal retail outlets and consumed at home. Analyses revea led no main or interactive effect of group on reported energy intake. RF subjects reduced their reported fat. intake during the study (P = 0 .017) compared with RS and C subjects, and RS subjects reduced their r eported sucrose intake compared with RF and C subjects (P = 0.049). Gr oup differences in total sugar intake were not significantly different . All groups reported a small but significant increase in reported pro tein intake during the study, whereas there were no significant effect s on percentage energy from total carbohydrate. Body weights did not c hange significantly in any group over the study period. These results indicate that, as a single dietary strategy, casual use of macronutrie nt-substituted foods by consumers under normal eating conditions can s ignificantly influence the macronutrient composition of the diet, but has little net effect on total energy intake or body weight status.