Dietary Variety Impairs Habituation in Children

Overview

Journal Health Psychol

Specialty Public Health

Date 2008 Mar 8

PMID 18248101

Citations 31

Authors

Jennifer L Temple

April M Giacomelli

James N Roemmich

Leonard H Epstein

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of these studies was to test the hypothesis that dietary variety decreases the rate of habituation and increases energy intake in children.

Design: In Experiment 1, salivation in response to the same or a variety of food cues was measured followed by consumption of the study food(s). In Experiment 2, children responded in a computer task to earn points for the same or a variety of low or high energy density foods, which were then consumed.

Main Outcome Measures: Salivation, number of responses, and energy intake were measured.

Results: Participants in the same groups habituated faster than those in the variety groups (p = .05), and in Experiment 2, the effect of variety was independent of energy density. Participants in the variety groups also consumed more energy than those in the same groups in both experiments (p = .05).

Conclusions: Dietary variety disrupted habituation and increased energy intake in children. In addition, the response to dietary variety was independent of energy density, suggesting that increasing variety of low energy density foods may increase consumption.

Citing Articles

Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating.

Epstein L, Carr K Physiol Behav. 2021; 239:113512.

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Rationale and protocol for translating basic habituation research into family-based childhood obesity treatment: Families becoming healthy together study.

Douglas S, Hawkins G, Berlin K, Crouter S, Epstein L, Thomas J Contemp Clin Trials. 2020; 98:106153.

PMID: 32950645 PMC: 7686119. DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106153.

Healthy Eating: Approaching the Selection, Preparation, and Consumption of Healthy Food as Choice Behavior.

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Altering the availability or proximity of food, alcohol, and tobacco products to change their selection and consumption.

Hollands G, Carter P, Anwer S, King S, Jebb S, Ogilvie D Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019; 9:CD012573.

PMID: 31482606 PMC: 6953356. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012573.pub3.

Altering the availability or proximity of food, alcohol, and tobacco products to change their selection and consumption.

Hollands G, Carter P, Anwer S, King S, Jebb S, Ogilvie D Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019; 8:CD012573.

PMID: 31452193 PMC: 6710643. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012573.pub2.

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