Decision-Making and the Relationship to Food Intake in Kids

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this 18-month project is to investigate how decision-making influences food choice and consumption in children ages 7 to 11 years old. Although several studies suggest that the ability to make good decisions relates to eating behaviors, no studies have looked at how food reward influences the decision-making process to impact actual food intake. This proposal will answer these questions and bridge this gap in knowledge, which could lead to the development of more effective interventions for childhood obesity. To accomplish this, the investigators have assembled a diverse team with expertise in food intake, nutrition, and decision sciences. First, the investigators will establish if there are differences in decision-making between children varying in weight status. Second, the investigators will determine if performance on behavioral decision-making tasks relates to food consumption in the laboratory. Third, the investigators will examine response functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response to various rewards (i.e. food and money) and determine if this is influenced by child weight status. Fourth, the investigators will examine differences in fMRI BOLD at rest in decision-making regions are correlated with food intake and weight status. Eighty-two children will participate in our study. The long-term goal of this project is to investigate if there are differences in brain regions corresponding to these behaviors in overweight children and if these differences relate to eating behaviors in this population. Children will undergo fMRI while playing a reward task as well as consume meals in our laboratory. Decision-making will also be assessed by having children complete various behavioral measurements of reward and inhibitory control.

Official Title
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Understanding Decision-Making and the Relationship to Food Intake in Children 7 to 11 Years Old

Conditions
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Pediatric Obesity

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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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 Claustrophobia Medication usage that may alter brain activity or blood flow Medical disorder that may impact comfort of safety in MRI scanner Food Allergies Dietary Restrictions Learning Disabilities Psychiatric Disorders

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 11 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response to various reward types (food, money, no reward). | Regions of interest BOLD analysis of an fMRI card-guessing task for various reward types | Collected at fMRI scan at week 4 | 
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response at rest (resting-state fMRI) | Regions of interest BOLD analysis of resting-state fMRI to examine differences in brain regions of interest at rest | Collected at fMRI scan at week 4 | 
| Behavioral inhibitory control task | Measured by performance on a go/nogo task | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) | 
| Behavioral reward inhibitory control task | Measured by performance on a go/nogo task with a reward incentive | Collected after the behavioral inhibitory control task (same visit), which is either week 1-3 (randomized) | 
| Behavioral risk-taking and reward task | Measured by performance on the hungry donkey task | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) | 
| Behavioral dietary self-control assessment | Measured by performance on a dietary self-control task | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Energy intake at baseline | Measured at an objective laboratory test-meal (kcal and grams) | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) | 
| Energy intake at a buffet meal | Measured at an objective laboratory test-meal (kcal and grams) | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) | 
| Energy intake after a meal preload | Measured at an objective laboratory test-meal (kcal and grams) | Collected at either week 1-3 (randomized) following the baseline meal | 
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response to various reward types (food, money, no reward). | Whole brain BOLD analysis of an fMRI card-guessing task for various reward types | Collected at week 4 | 
| Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response at baseline | Whole brain BOLD analysis of an fMRI card-guessing task for various reward types | Collected at week 4 |