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Article analysis:

The article "Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults" investigates the relationship between meal planning and diet quality, including adherence to nutritional guidelines and food variety, as well as weight status. The study was conducted on 40,554 participants of the web-based observational NutriNet-Santé study. The results showed that meal planning was associated with a healthier diet and less obesity. Meal planners were more likely to have a higher mPNNS-GS (OR quartile 4 vs. 1 = 1.13, 95% CI: [1.07–1.20]), higher overall food variety (OR quartile 4 vs. 1 = 1.25, 95% CI: [1.18–1.32]). In women, meal planning was associated with lower odds of being overweight (OR = 0.92 [0.87–0.98]) and obese (OR = 0.79 [0.73–0.86]). In men, the association was significant for obesity only (OR = 0.81 [0.69–0.94]).

The article provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of meal planning for improving dietary quality and preventing obesity in adults in France; however, there are some limitations to consider when interpreting the results.

One limitation is that the study is cross-sectional, which means that causality cannot be inferred from the reported associations between meal planning and diet quality or weight status; it is possible that individuals who plan their meals are already more health-conscious than those who do not plan their meals.

Another limitation is that dietary intake was assessed using self-reported data from three non-consecutive 24-hour dietary records completed by participants over a two-week period; this method may not accurately reflect long-term dietary habits and may be subject to recall bias.

Additionally, the study did not investigate the potential negative effects of meal planning, such as increased stress or pressure to adhere to a strict meal plan, which could have negative impacts on mental health and well-being.

Furthermore, the article does not explore potential cultural or socioeconomic factors that may influence meal planning practices in France. For example, individuals with lower incomes or less access to fresh food may be less likely to engage in meal planning due to limited resources.

Overall, while the article provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of meal planning for improving dietary quality and preventing obesity in adults in France, it is important to consider the limitations of the study when interpreting the results. Further research is needed to investigate potential negative effects of meal planning and explore cultural and socioeconomic factors that may influence meal planning practices.