Meal Presentation and Liking

This study will investigate the energy consumed from an entree with high- or low-volume vegetables incorporated into the entree or served along side of the entree, in normal weight adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Energy Density; Volume; Meal Presentation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Eating

Detailed Description

Participants will complete four experimental sessions, where a main entree with high- or-low volume vegetables (either added as a side item or mixed with the main entree) will be served for lunch, to determine the impact that presentation and liking may have on the consumption of energy dense foods.

Once screened participants arrive for their first experimental session, they will record the foods and beverages they consumed in the past 24 hours, as well as write down the minutes of physical activity they participated in, within that same 24 hour period. The participants will rate their hunger, fullness, and liking of foods using a 100 mm VAS. After completing these forms, participants will be presented the appropriate meal, for their condition. Following the presentation of the meal, the participant will rate their liking of the meal appearance and then be instructed to eat as much or as little as they want of the meal provided in 20 minutes. At the completion of the allotted time, the meal will be removed, and the participant will evaluate their level of hunger, fullness, and liking of the foods consumed. The session will conclude with the collection of the hunger, fullness, and liking forms.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Tennessee
    • Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 37996
      • Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory, University of Tennessee

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m^2
• Unrestrained eater (<12 on Three Factor Eating Questionnaire [TFEQ])
• Report liking Fettucini Alfredo, zucchini, and squash (rate all items >50mm on a visual analogue scale [VAS])
• Report regularly eating before 10 am
• Can compete all sessions within 8 weeks of the screening session

Exclusion Criteria:

• Report binge eating
• Report a medical condition that influences eating
• Report allergies to foods used in the investigation
• Currently smoke
• Report dietary restrictions
• Report taking a medication that affects appetite
• Report being pregnant or breast-feeding
• Report being an athlete in training

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Meal Order 1; [P,P+S,HVP,LVP] For the PASTA (P) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) and no vegetables. For the PASTA+SIDE (P+S) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) with a side of mixed zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the HIGH-VOLUME PASTA (HVP) condition, participants view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the LOW-VOLUME PASTA (LVP) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with grated zucchini and squash (chopped in food processor).	Behavioral: Eating; Participants will have 20 minutes to eat as much or as little of a meal (consisting of pasta alone or pasta with zucchini and squash presented in 3 different ways)
Experimental: Meal Order 2; [P+S,HVP,LVP,P] For the PASTA+SIDE (P+S) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) with a side of mixed zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the HIGH-VOLUME PASTA (HVP) condition, participants view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the LOW-VOLUME PASTA (LVP) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with grated zucchini and squash (chopped in food processor). For the PASTA (P) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) and no vegetables.	Behavioral: Eating; Participants will have 20 minutes to eat as much or as little of a meal (consisting of pasta alone or pasta with zucchini and squash presented in 3 different ways)
Experimental: Meal Order 3; [HVP,LVP,P,P+S] For the HIGH-VOLUME PASTA (HVP) condition, participants view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the LOW-VOLUME PASTA (LVP) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with grated zucchini and squash (chopped in food processor). For the PASTA (P) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) and no vegetables. For the PASTA+SIDE (P+S) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) with a side of mixed zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices).	Behavioral: Eating; Participants will have 20 minutes to eat as much or as little of a meal (consisting of pasta alone or pasta with zucchini and squash presented in 3 different ways)
Experimental: Meal Order 4; [LVP,P,P+S,HVP] For the LOW-VOLUME PASTA (LVP) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with grated zucchini and squash (chopped in food processor). For the PASTA (P) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) and no vegetables. For the PASTA+SIDE (P+S) condition, participants will view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) with a side of mixed zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices). For the HIGH-VOLUME PASTA (HVP) condition, participants view, consume, and evaluate a main pasta entree (Fettuccini Alfredo) mixed with zucchini and squash (cut in 1/2 inch half-moon slices).	Behavioral: Eating; Participants will have 20 minutes to eat as much or as little of a meal (consisting of pasta alone or pasta with zucchini and squash presented in 3 different ways)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Grams of main pasta entree consumed	20 minutes
Grams of zucchini and squash consumed	20 minutes
Level of hunger	baseline
Level of fullness	baseline
Level of liking	baseline
Energy intake	20 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Stunkard AJ, Messick S. The three-factor eating questionnaire to measure dietary restraint, disinhibition and hunger. J Psychosom Res. 1985;29(1):71-83. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(85)90010-8.
• Rolls BJ, Drewnowski A, Ledikwe JH. Changing the energy density of the diet as a strategy for weight management. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 May;105(5 Suppl 1):S98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.033.
• Rolls BJ. The relationship between dietary energy density and energy intake. Physiol Behav. 2009 Jul 14;97(5):609-15. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.03.011. Epub 2009 Mar 20.
• Lohman TR, Roche AF, Martorell R. Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual. Champaign,Illinois: Human Kinetics Books; 1988.
• Rolls BJ, Meengs JS, Roe LS. Variations in cereal volume affect the amount selected and eaten for breakfast. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014 Sep;114(9):1411-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2014.01.014. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 21, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 21, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): July 22, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 5, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; Digestive System and Oral Physiological Phenomena; Eating
• Other Study ID Numbers: UTK IRB-15-02349-XP