Gender differences in the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients intake and body weight outcomes in Chinese adults

Abstract

Abstract Background To explore the gender differences in the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients intake and body weight outcomes in Chinese adults. Methods Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS, 2015) for10,898 participants aged 18–64 years. Three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls was used to assess the dietary intake. Quantile regression models for body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were performed separately for each sex. Results Adult males showed greater absolute intakes of energy and macronutrients as compared to females as per the body weight outcomes. A 10% increase in BMI resulted in an additional intake of 0.002–0.004 kcal/d of dietary energy, 0.032–0.057 g/d of fats, 0.039–0.084 g/d of proteins, and 0.018–0.028 g/d of carbohydrates across all quantiles in males (p <  0.05). A 10% increase in WC lead to an additional intake of 0.004–0.008 kcal/d of dietary energy, 0.051–0.052 g/d of carbohydrates across the entire quantile in males (p <  0.05), and an increased intake of 0.060–0.150 kcal/d of fat in females (p <  0.05). Conclusions Dietary fat intake could be the risk factor of abdominal obesity in women. The importance of gender-specific evidence should be considered before promoting macronutrient allocation for the prevention and treatment of obesity.