Evaluation of the Effect of Sensory Imagination on Food Portion Size in School-aged Children

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Sensory Imagination
• Interventions: Behavioral: Sensory imagination about foods

• Registration Number: NCT03350932
• Lead Sponsor: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation

Brief Summary

The objective of this intervention is to evaluate the effect of sensory imagination (i.e., imagining the sensory properties of an object) on the choice of food portion size in school-aged children. Previous research showed that it may help children to choose smaller portion size. The investigators would like to assess whether this effect can be reproduced with two types of food (one with a high energy-density and one with a low energy-density), and in older children.

Detailed Description

School-aged children (8-11 years old) will be included in their usual schools to participate in an afternoon snack, organised according to regular arrangements, during two days separated by one week. On each day, the participants will receive a choice of three portion sizes of a food (small, medium, large), and will be asked to chose one of these portions and to eat it for snack. On one day, the high energy-density food will be offered; and on the other day, the low energy-density food. This will be counterbalanced across participants. Moreover, two groups of children will be constituted: the first group, the control group, will have to perform a sensory imagination task about neutral facts. The second group, the "food sensory imagination" group, will have to perform a sensory imagination task foods.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-02-16
• Study First Submitted: 2017-11-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-11-17
• Study First Posted: 2017-11-22
• Primary Completion: 2018-01-31
• Study Completion: 2018-01-31
• Status Verified: 2018-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-07-20
• Last Update Posted: 2018-07-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 82

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

• Children with food allergies
• Children who dislike experimental foods

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Food sensory imagination	Sensory imagination about foods	This group, the "food sensory imagination" group, will have to perform a sensory imagination task foods (being the intervention) before choosing the portion size of a food.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
portion size	The measure for the two foods will be conducted one week apart	choice of a portion size among three sizes (small, medium, large), for two different foods

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation; 🇫🇷 Dijon, France