Dietary Energy Density and Weight Loss

Energy density (ED) is defined as the energy content of a food relative to its weight (kcal/g). Water and fiber are primarily responsible for lowering ED while fat greatly increases ED. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans assert, “Eating patterns that are low in calorie density improve weight loss and weight maintenance.” Theoretically, by reducing energy density, people can eat a larger volume of food and control their appetites while ingesting the same or less energy. This is…