• Sondos M Flieh, María L Miguel-Berges, Inge Huybrechts, Christina Breidenassel, Evangelia Grammatikaki, Cinzia Le Donne, Yannis Manios, Kurt Widhalm, Dénes Molnár, Peter Stehle, Anthony Kafatos, Jean Dallongeville, Cristina Molina-Hidalgo, Sonia Gómez-Martínez, Marcela Gonzalez-Gross, Stefaan De Henauw, Laurent Béghin, Mathilde Kersting, Luis A Moreno, and Esther M González-Gil.
• Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
• Nutrition. 2023 Feb 1; 106: 111893111893.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the associations between portion sizes (PSs) from different food groups and energy, as well as nutrient intakes in European adolescents.MethodsA sample of 1631 adolescents (54.2 % girls) were included from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional (HELENA) study. Mean food PS was calculated by dividing the total intake of the items by the number of eating occasions of these consumed items. To determine the key items for analysis, foods were ranked by frequency of consumption. A one-way between-groups analysis of covariance was used to test for significant differences in means across tertiles. A multivariable linear regression analysis was carried out, adjusting for age, sex, maternal education, body mass index, and using country as a level.ResultsEnergy intake increased with elevated intakes of energy-dense foods. Large portions of rice and other grains, starch roots and potatoes, and meat substitutes, nuts, and pulses were associated with increased carbohydrate and fiber intake. Larger portions of cheese and butter and animal fat were significantly associated with a higher fat intake. Lower intakes of some vitamins and micronutrients were noticed with consumption of larger portions of high energy-dense foods, such as desserts and pudding, margarine and vegetable oil, and butter and animal fat.ConclusionsLarge food PSs may be associated with positive energy, as well as macro- and micronutrient intake. Moreover, the findings from this study may help the future development of dietary guidance in general and specific to PSs, and support targeted strategies to address intakes of certain nutrients in European adolescents.Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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