Eating fried food away from home is associated with dietary patterns leading to excessive weight gain and chronic diseases.

In a study involving 14,355 children surveyed over three years, Harvard researchers found that 9 to 14 year olds who increased their consumption of fried food away from home over the course of a year gained weight above the normal rate.

"Doctors should encourage teens to limit their intake of food prepared away from home and to eat family dinners together, the benefits of which appear to include improved diet quality," says lead author Elsie Taveras, instructor in ambulatory care and prevention at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC).

Home dinners also have been found to reduce such high-risk adolescent behaviors as tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use, she adds. Taveras also directs the One Step Ahead program, which teaches families how to make healthy food choices, at Children's Hospital Boston.

BMI Increased

"In today's fast food environment, it's a challenge for teenagers and their families to eat what's nutritious and healthful," says senior author Matthew Gillman, associate professor of ambulatory care and prevention at HMS and HPHC.

"When you are at your favorite restaurant, stay away from the fried foods and instead choose modest portions of grilled chicken or fish, a salad, or some fruit," he suggests.

For the study, Taveras and colleagues recorded the children's height, weight, physical activity and frequency of consumption of fried food away from home. Over time, when the children increased the amount of fried foods they ate away from home, their body mass index (BMI) also increased.

This direct association was greatest among the youngest girls, ages 9 to 12. This finding could help doctors and parents to develop effective interventions to prevent excessive weight gain during this period of adolescence.

At the beginning of the study, 3.5 percent of girls and 6 percent of boys reported eating four to seven servings of fried food away from home per week. Overall, girls and boys 13 to 14 years old ate more fried food away from home than 9 to 12 year olds. At the end of the three-year study, the proportion of girls and boys who ate four to seven servings per week had more than doubled, to 7.5 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively.

Chronic Diseases

Adolescents in the study who ate fried food away from home more frequently reported the following:

higher intakes of saturated and trans fats

They reported eating fewer foods that are integral to a well-balanced diet, like fruits and vegetables.

Eating fried food away from home is associated with dietary patterns leading to excessive weight gain and chronic diseases. For example, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain; high consumption of trans and saturated fats is linked to heart disease; low consumption of fruits and vegetables is linked to cancer; and a high glycemic load is associated with type 2 diabetes.

"Many of my patients, ages 8 to 12 years old, frequently eat foods prepared away from home -- sometimes up to four times a week," Taveras notes.

"If these early eating patterns persist throughout their adolescence, our findings suggest that these children will be heavier and perhaps be more at risk of chronic diseases," she points out. "We try to teach families how to make healthier choices when they choose to eat out and to encourage a well-balanced diet when eating in."