Dietary energy density in relation to subsequent changes of weight and waist circumference in European men and women. PLoS One 4: e5339

Background: Experimental studies show that a reduction in dietary energy density (ED) is associated with reduced energy intake and body weight. However, few observational studies have investigated the role of ED on long-term weight and waist circumference change. Methods and Principal Findings: This population-based prospective cohort study included 89,432 participants from five European countries with mean age 53 years (range: 20–78 years) at baseline and were followed for an average of 6.5 years (range: 1.9–12.5 years). Participants were free of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes at baseline. ED was calculated as the energy intake (kcal) from foods divided by the weight (g) of foods. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the associations of ED with annual weight and waist circumference change. Mean ED was 1.7 kcal/g an