Main nutrient patterns are associated with prospective weight change in adults from 10 European countries.
PURPOSE
Various food patterns have been associated with weight change in adults, but it is unknown which combinations of nutrients may account for such observations. We investigated associations between main nutrient patterns and prospective weight change in adults.


METHODS
This study includes 235,880 participants, 25-70 years old, recruited between 1992 and 2000 in 10 European countries. Intakes of 23 nutrients were estimated from country-specific validated dietary questionnaires using the harmonized EPIC Nutrient DataBase. Four nutrient patterns, explaining 67 % of the total variance of nutrient intakes, were previously identified from principal component analysis. Body weight was measured at recruitment and self-reported 5 years later. The relationship between nutrient patterns and annual weight change was examined separately for men and women using linear mixed models with random effect according to center controlling for confounders.


RESULTS
Mean weight gain was 460 g/year (SD 950) and 420 g/year (SD 940) for men and women, respectively. The annual differences in weight gain per one SD increase in the pattern scores were as follows: principal component (PC) 1, characterized by nutrients from plant food sources, was inversely associated with weight gain in men (-22 g/year; 95 % CI -33 to -10) and women (-18 g/year; 95 % CI -26 to -11). In contrast, PC4, characterized by protein, vitamin B2, phosphorus, and calcium, was associated with a weight gain of +41 g/year (95 % CI +2 to +80) and +88 g/year (95 % CI +36 to +140) in men and women, respectively. Associations with PC2, a pattern driven by many micro-nutrients, and with PC3, a pattern driven by vitamin D, were less consistent and/or non-significant.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified two main nutrient patterns that are associated with moderate but significant long-term differences in weight gain in adults.
['Freisling|Heinz|H|', 'Pisa|Pedro T|PT|', 'Ferrari|Pietro|P|', 'Byrnes|Graham|G|', 'Moskal|Aurelie|A|', 'Dahm|Christina C|CC|', 'Vergnaud|Anne-Claire|AC|', 'Boutron-Ruault|Marie-Christine|MC|', 'Fagherazzi|Guy|G|', 'Cadeau|Claire|C|', 'Kühn|Tilman|T|', 'Neamat-Allah|Jasmine|J|', 'Buijsse|Brian|B|', 'Boeing|Heiner|H|', 'Halkjær|Jytte|J|', 'Tjonneland|Anne|A|', 'Hansen|Camilla P|CP|', 'Quirós|J Ramón|JR|', 'Travier|Noémie|N|', 'Molina-Montes|Esther|E|', 'Amiano|Pilar|P|', 'Huerta|José M|JM|', 'Barricarte|Aurelio|A|', 'Khaw|Kay-Tee|KT|', 'Wareham|Nicholas|N|', 'Key|Tim J|TJ|', 'Romaguera|Dora|D|', 'Lu|Yunxia|Y|', 'Lassale|Camille M|CM|', 'Naska|Androniki|A|', 'Orfanos|Philippos|P|', 'Trichopoulou|Antonia|A|', 'Masala|Giovanna|G|', 'Pala|Valeria|V|', 'Berrino|Franco|F|', 'Tumino|Rosario|R|', 'Ricceri|Fulvio|F|', 'de Magistris|Maria Santucci|MS|', 'Bueno-de-Mesquita|H Bas|HB|', 'Ocké|Marga C|MC|', 'Sonestedt|Emily|E|', 'Ericson|Ulrika|U|', 'Johansson|Mattias|M|', 'Skeie|Guri|G|', 'Weiderpass|Elisabete|E|', 'Braaten|Tonje|T|', 'Peeters|Petra H M|PH|', 'Slimani|Nadia|N|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001205:Ascorbic Acid D002136:Calcium, Dietary D004032:Diet D004043:Dietary Fiber D004044:Dietary Proteins D005060:Europe D005260:Female D005492:Folic Acid D005500:Follow-Up Studies D006801:Humans D016014:Linear Models D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D015596:Nutrition Assessment D016226:Phosphorus, Dietary D011446:Prospective Studies D012256:Riboflavin D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D015430:Weight Gain D019207:beta Carotene
Nutrients Weight gain Dietary patterns Energy balance Obesity Public health