Children's Familiarity With Snack Foods Changes Expectations About Fullness

NCT ID: NCT01403753

Last Updated: 2011-08-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 70 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2008-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2008-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to measure and quantify children's beliefs about the satiating properties (i.e. expected satiation)of snack foods. The investigators predicted that children who were especially familiar with snack foods would expect them to deliver greater satiation.

Detailed Description

Palatability is regarded as a major determinant of children's energy intake. However, few studies have considered other "non-hedonic" beliefs about foods. In adults there is emerging evidence that expectations about the satiating properties of foods are an important determinant of meal size, and that these beliefs are learned over time.

In the current study, we measured and quantified children's 'expected satiation' across energy-dense snack foods using a psychophysical technique known as method of adjustment. Participants changed a comparison-food portion (pasta and tomato sauce) to match the satiation that they expected from a snack food. We predicted that children who were especially familiar with snack foods would expect them to generate greater satiation, and that children who were unfamiliar would match expected satiation based on the physical characteristics (perceived volume) of the foods.

In our study, seventy 11- to 12-year-old children completed computerised measures of expected satiation, perceived volume, familiarity, and liking across six snack foods. Our analyses focused on the associations between these measures. This approach enabled us to establish differences in healthy behaviours that are evident across individuals.

Conditions

Children

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Non-clinical sample of children

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• aged 11 to 12 years
• English speaking
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion Criteria

• None

• Minimum Eligible Age: 11 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Bristol

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

University of Bristol

Principal Investigators

Jeffrey M Brunstrom, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Bristol

Locations

University of Bristol

Bristol, , United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

References

Brunstrom JM, Shakeshaft NG, Scott-Samuel NE. Measuring 'expected satiety' in a range of common foods using a method of constant stimuli. Appetite. 2008 Nov;51(3):604-14. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.04.017. Epub 2008 May 1.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 18547677 (View on PubMed)

Hardman CA, McCrickerd K, Brunstrom JM. Children's familiarity with snack foods changes expectations about fullness. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Nov;94(5):1196-201. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.016873. Epub 2011 Sep 14.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 21918214 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

260608322

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id