Eating Behavior
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of the study is to determine whether the energy density of snack foods affects the amounts that preschool children serve themselves and then consume. We will serve snacks that vary in energy density to preschool children in their childcare centers and measure the amount they serve themselves and consume. The results will have implications for guidance about the provision of snacks for preschool children and may help in identifying strategies for the prevention of obesity in children.
Interventions
OTHERSnack with energy density less than 1.5 kcal/g
Snack meal with snack food having energy density less than 1.5 kcal/g
OTHERSnack with energy density greater than 1.5 kcal/g
Snack meal with snack food having energy density greater than 1.5 kcal/g
Sponsors
Penn State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
4 Years to 6 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Children who are enrolled in a scheduled classroom of the participating childcare centers * Children who are between the ages of 4 and 6 years old at the time of enrollment
Exclusion criteria
* Children who have tested positive or are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or have recently had potential exposure with a person with COVID-19 * Children who are allergic to any of the foods served * Children whose diets exclude any of the foods served * Children who are absent from the childcare center on the acclimation day or both study days * Children who are not able to serve themselves the two foods that are provided during the acclimation day
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Difference between interventions in the weight of self-served snack food | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Weight served of snack food in grams |
| Difference between interventions in the weight of snack food consumed | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Weight consumed of snack food in grams |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Difference between interventions in the volume of self-served snack food | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Volume served of snack food in milliliters (ml) |
| Difference between interventions in the volume of snack food consumed | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Volume consumed of snack food in milliliters (ml) |
| Difference between interventions in the energy of self-served snack food | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Energy served of snack food in kilocalories (kcal) |
| Difference between interventions in the energy of snack food consumed | Study weeks 1 and 2 | Energy consumed of snack food in kilocalories (kcal) |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed