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

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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
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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.

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

Conditions
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Sensory Imagination

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Sensory imagination about foods


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: - Exclusion Criteria: Children with food allergies Children who dislike experimental foods

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 13 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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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: 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.
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>This group of children, will have to perform a sensory imagination task about neutral facts before choosing the portion size of a food. | |
| Experimental: Food sensory imagination<br>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. | Behavioral: Sensory imagination about foods<br>* In both groups, children will be presented with pictures of items. In the control group, the pictures will represent landscapes at different seasons. In the experimental group, the pictures will represent a variety of foods. In the experimental group, based on the pictures representing a variety of foods, children will have to perform a food sensory imagination task before choosing the portion size of a food.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| portion size | choice of a portion size among three sizes (small, medium, large), for two different foods | The measure for the two foods will be conducted one week apart | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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sensory imagination; foods