The Effect of Snack Consumption on Energy Intake in Preschoolers

Energy Intake Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Snack Consumption on Energy Intake in Preschoolers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02207049
• Other study ID #: 9564 B
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 2014
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: June 2023
• Source: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this pilot study will be to examine the influence of providing snacks on consumption of overall energy intake in children aged 2-5 years in the Early Learning Center (ELC) at the University of Tennessee.

Description:

Providing snacks to children is widely recommended for appetite regulation and assisting with meeting nutritional guidelines.1 Currently, snacks contribute a larger portion of dietary intake in children than in previous years.2,3 Additionally, observational research has found that self-reported, low-nutrient-dense snack consumption, has increased among preschoolers (ages 2-to-6 years) over the past 20 years, leading to an increase of total daily energy intake.3 However, no experimental studies examining the influence of snack intake on energy consumption in children have been conducted.2 Therefore, at this time it is not clear how snacks impact appetite regulation or energy intake, especially in young children.

Thus, the purpose of this pilot study will be to examine the influence of providing snacks on consumption of overall energy intake in children aged 2-5 years in the Early Learning Center (ELC) at the University of Tennessee. Children will be provided with 3-to-5 ad libitum eating occasions over the course of a day for three sessions. To test the effects of providing snacks to preschoolers on consumption of food throughout the day, the food will be provided in three ways in the three different sessions: 1) children will be provided three meals (TM); 2) children will be provided three meals and two snacks, with total amount of food provided in the day the same as TM (M+S); and 3) children will be provided three meals and two snacks with total amount provided in the meals equal to TM and total amount provided in the snacks equal to M+S (TM+S).

Primary Hypothesis:

1) Energy consumed from food and beverages will be greatest during the TM+S session, followed by M+S, and then TM.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: December 31, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 3 Years to 5 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• 3 -to- 5 years of age

• enrolled at the Early Learning Center for the full day program

• have guardian consent to participate

• like the foods served

Exclusion Criteria:

• have allergies or intolerances to the foods being served

• not able to use a spoon

• did not attend all feeding sessions

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Children, Preschool
• Energy Intake
• Snacks

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Snacking
Snacks will be provided to preschoolers, either as part of total caloric needs or above total caloric needs
• No Snacking
Caloric needs will be provided to preschoolers within three meals

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory	Knoxville	Tennessee

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (2)

Allen RE, Myers AL. Nutrition in toddlers. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Nov 1;74(9):1527-32. — View Citation

Ford CN, Slining MM, Popkin BM. Trends in dietary intake among US 2- to 6-year-old children, 1989-2008. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013 Jan;113(1):35-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.08.022. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Total calories of the food and beverages consumed.	Total calories of food and beverage consumed by participants over the 3-week study (with 1 day of food and beverage per week) period will be determined by subtracting pre- and post-consumption weight of the food and beverage provided and multiplied by the energy density of each respective food and beverage.	3 weeks