The Gustaf study: repeated, telephone-administered 24-hour dietary recalls of obese and normal-weight men--energy and macronutrient intake and distribution over the days of the week.

OBJECTIVE: A dietary survey of obese and control men was conducted through 24-hour dietary recalls administered by telephone at 12 times selected randomly over a period of 3 months. Energy and macronutrient intake and distribution were studied for all days of the week.
SUBJECTS: Eighty-six obese men, 20 to 60 years old, body mass index (BMI) = 37.7 +/- 4.4 (mean +/- standard deviation) from the waiting list of the outpatient clinic and 6I normal-weight (BMI = 23.0 +/- 1.9), age-matched men selected randomly from the Stockholm County Census Bureau. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Energy and macronutrient intake, intakes by energy tertiles, and distribution over the days of the week. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Nonparametric tests were used because of skewed distribution of most food data.
RESULTS: A median daily energy intake of 2,700 kcal was found in both groups. The obese men reported a higher protein (P < .001) and a lower alcohol (P < .001) intake than the control subjects. Both groups reported a maximum intake of energy and macronutrients on Saturdays. When separated into tertiles according to reported energy intake, the obese men in tertile 3 reported a higher intake from fat (% energy, P < .001) and a lower intake from protein (P < .01) compared with men in tertile 1. Normal-weight men intertile 3 reported a higher intake fat (% energy, P < .01) compared with men intertile 1.
CONCLUSIONS: When reported energy intake was compared with calculated total daily energy expenditure, there was a greater discrepancy in the obese group than in the control group. The normal-weight men may have had a special interest in food and health, and this group may not reflect the population at large.