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The Impact of Food Advertisements on Brain Response and Eating Behavior in Children

Completed
Conditions
Pediatric Obesity
Registration Number
NCT02788838
Lead Sponsor
Penn State University
Brief Summary

The purpose of this project is to examine the impact that television food advertisements have on brain responses and eating behavior in children. Food advertisements enhance children's liking and intake of foods that tend to be high in energy content and low in nutritional value. Although several studies have measured the differences in children's food intake after watching advertisements, none have shown the brain mechanisms associated with this change in behavior. In order to clarify the relationship between food advertising and eating behavior, the investigators have assembled a team with expertise in functional imaging, eating behaviors, and clinical pediatric research. First, the investigators will observe the differences in children's eating behaviors after being exposed to food commercials or non-food commercials. Second, the investigators will measure the difference in child brain response to high and low energy foods after being exposed to food commercials or non-food commercials. These data will allow us to identify which areas of the brain are specifically affected by exposure to food commercials and correlate activity in these areas with children's measured food intake in the laboratory. Children ages 7-9 will participate in this 5-visit study which will be completed over the course of 12 months. Understanding how food advertisements impact children's brain responses and subsequent eating behaviors will have implications for understanding why some children respond differently to these cues than others. These outcomes may also inform the development of more effective programs and policies to prevent childhood obesity.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
88
Inclusion Criteria
  • Right-handed
  • English as native language
  • Reading at/above grade level
  • Not Claustrophobic
  • Generally Healthy
Exclusion Criteria
  • Left-handedness
  • Metal in or on body that cannot be removed
  • Claustrophobic
  • Medication usage that may alter brain activity or blood flow
  • Medical disorder that may impact comfort or safety in MRI scanner
  • Food allergies

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to high and low energy foods following food commercial primingCollected at fMRI scan at week 4 or 5 (randomized)

Whole-brain response to food images varied by 2 levels of energy viewed in 2 conditions

Functional magnetic resonance imaging, blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to high and low energy foods following toy commercial primingCollected at fMRI scan at week 4 or 5 (randomized)

Energy intake of foods consumed ad libitum at each laboratory test-meal in 3 conditions

Baseline Energy IntakeCollected at week 1 of the study

Energy intake of foods consumed ad libitum at laboratory test-meal with no priming stimulus

Energy Intake following food commercialsCollected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study

Energy intake of foods consumed ad libitum at laboratory test-meal following food commercials priming

Energy Intake following toy commercialsCollected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study

Energy intake of foods consumed ad libitum at laboratory test-meal following toy priming stimulus

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Region of Interest (ROI)-response to food type by conditionCollected at fMRI scans at weeks 4 and 5 of study

Response in selected regions of interest to images varied by 2 levels of energy viewed in 2 conditions

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Pennsylvania State University

🇺🇸

University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

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