Sensitive Periods in Human Flavor Learning

NCT ID: NCT01667549

Last Updated: 2019-12-09

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

97 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-08-31

Study Completion Date

2015-11-30

Brief Summary

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The goals of the proposed research are to specify the timing and consequences of the sensitive period for flavor learning in infants who are being breastfed or formula fed. The investigators will conduct a randomized within- and between-subject study of women and their infants during a 15-month window.

Detailed Description

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This is a randomized clinical trial on both breastfeeding and formula feeding infants to determine the effects of the timing of flavor experiences on subsequent food acceptance in both members of the dyad.

Conditions

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Development

Keywords

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Breastfeeding Flavor learning Mother Moms Infants Babies Baby Food Habits Fruits Vegetables

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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1M0.5

Mothers will receive the intervention for 1 month beginning when their infant is 0.5 months old.

Intervention: Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Intervention Type OTHER

Groups differ in the timing and duration of exposure to flavored food experience.

1M1.5

Mothers will receive the intervention for 1 month beginning when their infant is 1.5 months old.

Intervention: Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Intervention Type OTHER

Groups differ in the timing and duration of exposure to flavored food experience.

3M0.5

Mothers will receive the intervention for 3 months beginning when their infant is 0.5 months old.

Intervention: Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Intervention Type OTHER

Groups differ in the timing and duration of exposure to flavored food experience.

Control

Mothers will not receive the intervention.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Timing of Diet and Flavor Experience

Groups differ in the timing and duration of exposure to flavored food experience.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy, term infants and their mothers
* Infants 2 wks (+/- 2 wk of age)
* Mothers and infants exclusively breastfeeding or exclusively feeding a cows-milk based formula
* Mothers must be older than 18 years of age

Exclusion Criteria

* Infants who were preterm or have medical conditions that interfere with feeding or eating
* Mothers who had gestational diabetes or are diagnosed with a major illness requiring treatment or surgery
* Mothers who will be going back to work full-time before the infant is 4 months old
* Mothers who are allergic to any vegetables
* Subjects will not be excluded because of economic status, gender, race or ethnicity.
Minimum Eligible Age

2 Weeks

Maximum Eligible Age

3 Weeks

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Monell Chemical Senses Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Julie A. Mennella, PhD

Member and Director Emeritus

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Julie A Mennella, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Monell Chemical Senses Center

Locations

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Monell Chemical Senses Center

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Mennella JA, Jagnow CP, Beauchamp GK. Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants. Pediatrics. 2001 Jun;107(6):E88. doi: 10.1542/peds.107.6.e88.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11389286 (View on PubMed)

Skinner JD, Carruth BR, Wendy B, Ziegler PJ. Children's food preferences: a longitudinal analysis. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002 Nov;102(11):1638-47. doi: 10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90349-4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12449287 (View on PubMed)

Mennella JA, Lukasewycz LD, Castor SM, Beauchamp GK. The timing and duration of a sensitive period in human flavor learning: a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 May;93(5):1019-24. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.003541. Epub 2011 Feb 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21310829 (View on PubMed)

Mennella JA, Pepino MY, Reed DR. Genetic and environmental determinants of bitter perception and sweet preferences. Pediatrics. 2005 Feb;115(2):e216-22. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004-1582.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15687429 (View on PubMed)

Forestell CA, Mennella JA. Early determinants of fruit and vegetable acceptance. Pediatrics. 2007 Dec;120(6):1247-54. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-0858.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18055673 (View on PubMed)

Llewellyn CH, van Jaarsveld CH, Johnson L, Carnell S, Wardle J. Development and factor structure of the Baby Eating Behaviour Questionnaire in the Gemini birth cohort. Appetite. 2011 Oct;57(2):388-96. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.05.324. Epub 2011 Jun 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21672566 (View on PubMed)

Pliner P, Hobden K. Development of a scale to measure the trait of food neophobia in humans. Appetite. 1992 Oct;19(2):105-20. doi: 10.1016/0195-6663(92)90014-w.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1489209 (View on PubMed)

Gerrish CJ, Mennella JA. Flavor variety enhances food acceptance in formula-fed infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Jun;73(6):1080-5. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/73.6.1080.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11382663 (View on PubMed)

Mennella JA, Nicklaus S, Jagolino AL, Yourshaw LM. Variety is the spice of life: strategies for promoting fruit and vegetable acceptance during infancy. Physiol Behav. 2008 Apr 22;94(1):29-38. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.11.014. Epub 2007 Nov 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18222499 (View on PubMed)

Mennella JA, Reiter A, Brewer B, Pohlig RT, Stallings VA, Trabulsi JC. Early Weight Gain Forecasts Accelerated Eruption of Deciduous Teeth and Later Overweight Status during the First Year. J Pediatr. 2020 Oct;225:174-181.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.06.019. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 32553836 (View on PubMed)

Mennella JA, Daniels LM, Reiter AR. Learning to like vegetables during breastfeeding: a randomized clinical trial of lactating mothers and infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jul;106(1):67-76. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.143982. Epub 2017 May 17.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 28515063 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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HD37119

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id