Seasonality of food groups and total energy intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 70; no. 6; pp. 700 - 708
• Main Authors: Stelmach-Mardas, M, Kleiser, C, Uzhova, I, Peñalvo, J L, La Torre, G, Palys, W, Lojko, D, Nimptsch, K, Suwalska, A, Linseisen, J, Saulle, R, Colamesta, V, Boeing, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-06-2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/700/2814; 692/700/478/174; Adult; Alcoholic Beverages; Autumn; Beverages; Bioenergetics; Cereals; Clinical Nutrition; Consumption patterns; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet Surveys; Dietary intake; Edible Grain; Eggs; Energy; Energy Intake; Energy metabolism; Epidemiology; Food; Food consumption; Food groups; Food intake; Food selection; Fruit; Fruits; Health aspects; Humans; Internal Medicine; Meat; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; MEDLINE; Meta-analysis; Metabolic Diseases; Nutrition; Observations; original-article; Public Health; Search process; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Spring; Spring (season); Summer; Systematic review; Vegetables; Winter; Germany
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.224

Background/Objectives:
The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effect of season on food intake from selected food groups and on energy intake in adults.
Subjects/Methods:
The search process was based on selecting publications listed in the following: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Agris. Food frequency questionnaires, 24-h dietary recalls and food records as methods for assessment of dietary intake were used to assess changes in the consumption of 11 food groups and of energy intake across seasons. A meta-analysis was performed.
Results:
Twenty-six studies were included. Articles were divided into those reporting data on four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) or on two seasons (pre-and post-harvest). Four of the studies could be utilized for meta-analysis describing changes in food consumption across four season scheme: from winter to spring fruits decreased, whereas vegetables, eggs and alcoholic beverages increased; from spring to summer vegetable consumption further increased and cereals decreased; from summer to autumn fruits and cereals increased and vegetables, meat, eggs and alcoholic beverages decreased; from autumn to winter cereals decreased. A significant association was also found between energy intake and season, for 13 studies reporting energy intake across four seasons (favors winter) and for eight studies across pre- and post-harvest seasons (favors post-harvest).
Conclusions:
The winter or the post-harvest season is associated with increased energy intake. The intake of fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, cereals and alcoholic beverages is following a seasonal consumption pattern and at least for these foods season is determinant of intake.