2.3. Diet and Snack Intervention
The intervention phase of the study was a 16-week period from study weeks 2 to 18. Menus based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans were designed using NDSR software (Nutrition Data System for Research, Univ. of Minn.) to create a 7-day cycle comprised of 3 meals and 2 snacks per day to be consumed between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Menus did not include any peanuts, tree nuts, or nut butter food items. Food portions were determined so that the energy content of the menu met each participant’s calorie goal for weight maintenance based on measured resting energy expenditure multiplied by a factor for physical activity energy expenditure. The macronutrient composition of the menus was within the Institute of Medicine acceptable distribution ranges of 25–35% fat, 45–55% carbohydrate, and 15–20% protein [