An age-sex-stratified sample of 600 residents of the Gila River Indian Commune ages 18-75 years, was recruited for a dietary survey. Dietary intake was estimated by the dietary history method to obtain quantitative food frequency information. Reported energy intake was higher in men and negatively related to age; thus, relationships with weight were analyzed by multiple regression controlling for sex, age. Energy intake in kilocalories (kcal) was positively associated with body weight or body mass index, adjusted for age and sex. Body weight was associated with absolute intake of the major dietary components, carbohydrate, fat, and protein, but with any of these components expressed per 1000 kcal, suggesting that total energy intake, rather than proportions of specific components, was the variable having the strongest association with body weight. Alcohol consumption (in any amount) was higher in men and inversely associated with age and weight. Neither energy intake nor specific components were significantly associated with diabetes, after adjustment for age and sex, nor did diabetes affect the relationship between energy and weight, in a subset of 307 subjects (153 diabetics) examined for diabetes within one year of the diet history. The acceptance of obesity in this population may reduce the under-reporting of energy intake which has been postulated in other studies. Body weight in Pima Indians is weakly but positively associated with increased caloric intake.
