OBJECTIVE: To compare food consumption and energy expenditure between obese and non-obese adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 23 adolescents recruited from schools and recreation centers from São Paulo (SP), Brazil, distributed in two groups: 11 obese and 12 non-obese. The following variables were analyzed: body weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference, fat and lean mass (estimated from bioelectrical impedance), three days' 24-hour food recall, daily energy expenditure from three different methods (three days' physical activity recall, predictive equations and indirect calorimetry), resting energy expenditure and aerobic power test. RESULTS: Daily energy expenditure was higher in the obese group, but food ingestion presented no difference between groups. There was no difference in resting energy expenditure between obese and non-obese groups and aerobic power was higher in non-obese group. Neither obese nor non-obese adolescents presented adequate feeding behavior; however, the obese group presented lower consumption of healthy foods like vegetables. There was disagreement among different methods of analysis of daily energy expenditure. CONCLUSIONS: All adolescents presented feeding behaviors related to risk for chronic diseases. New studies are necessary to identify the best way to analyze energy expenditure. Nutritional education strategies directed towards adolescents are needed.
adolescent; food consumption; nutrition assessment; energy metabolism; obesity
