Relationships between dietary variables and indicators of body fatness were examined in a cohort of 871 middle-aged men in Zutphen, The Netherlands. Men in the highest quartile of the sum of two skinfolds or the Quetelet index distribution consumed on average 300 to 400 kcal less than men in the lowest quartile. Univariate analyses showed that the lower intake of the men in the highest quartiles was occasioned by a lower intake of almost all the macronutrients except alcohol. Multivariate analyses confirmed the inverse relationship between energy intake per kg body weight and indicators for body fatness, and the positive relationship between alcohol and these indicators. It is concluded that obese middle-aged men have a lower energy intake but a higher alcohol intake than their lean counterparts.