Snacks Contribute Considerably to Total Dietary Intakes Among Adults Stratified by Glycemia in the United States

Little is known about the snacking patterns among adults with type 2 diabetes. The contribution of snacks to energy and nutrient intakes is important to further understand dietary patterns and glycemic control. The purpose of this study is to evaluate snack consumption among adults according to diabetes status in the United States. One NHANES 24-hour dietary recall for each participant collected between 2005-2016 was utilized for analysis (n = 23,708). Analysis of covariance was used to compare differences in nutrient and food groups intakes from snacks across levels of glycemic control, while controlling for age, race/ethnicity, income, marital status, and gender. Results of this analysis inform that adults with type 2 diabetes consume less energy, carbohydrates, and total sugars from snacks than adults without diabetes. Those with controlled type 2 diabetes consumed more vegetables and less fruit juice than other groups, yet adults with type 2 diabetes in general consumed more cured and luncheon meats than adults without diabetes or with prediabetes. Protein from all snacks for those without diabetes is higher than all other groups. This study elucidates common snacking patterns among US adults with diabetes and highlights the need for clinicians and policymakers to take snacking into consideration when evaluating and providing dietary recommendations.