Research
Adherence
Obese individuals systematically and significantly underreport their energy intake compared to lean individuals, with underestimation ranging from 30% to 47%.
If you are overweight, your food diary is likely underestimating your actual calorie intake by 30-47%. Do not trust your self-reported numbers at face value. Use a validated method like the multiple-pass 24-hour recall with a clinician, and expect that you are likely eating more than you think, especially regarding snacks and high-fat foods.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Based on numerous papers published over the past decade, low-energy reporting has been consistently shown to be more prevalent and more severe among obese subjects compared with lean subjects (18,19). These studies and others found that the obese underestimate their energy intake to a greater degree (ranging from 30% to 47%) than the lean.
Why this rating
The paper cites multiple peer-reviewed studies (references 18, 19, 21, 22) validating this claim against biomarkers (DLW).
Source
Dietary Intake—How Do We Measure What People Are <i>Really</i> Eating?
Rachel K. Johnson · Obesity Research · 2002
narrative_reviewCited 239×
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