The Lunch Study: the Combined Effects of Food Texture and Energy Density on Intake

Meal size is strongly influenced by a number of external features of the food environment which can promote over-consumption, such as the availability of palatable energy dense foods. The current research aimed to investigate whether natural food-based differences in texture could be used to slow down eating rate and reduce intake from large portions and higher energy dense foods.

A four-session randomised crossover study assessed the effect of faster vs. slower eating rate, achieved through manipulating food texture, on ad-libitum consumption (weight and calories) at a meal, alone and in combination with variations in meal energy-density (higher vs. lower)

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Satiation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Thin/Low Energy; Other: Thin/High Energy; Other: Thick/Low Energy; Other: Thick/High Energy

Detailed Description

The current obesogenic environment is characterized by the abundance of palatable and high energy dense foods. High dietary energy density can promote sustained overcompensation at meal times. On the other hand, eating at a slower rate has been shown to reduce meal size, and food-based texture differences can slow eating rate. It is possible that texture-based differences in eating rate could be used to reduce energy intake in of foods that are higher in energy density.

This study was conducted to quantify the effect of eating rate (fast vs. slow) on ad-libitum consumption of a meal, alone and in combination with variations in meal energy-density (0.57 kcal/g vs 1.01 kcal/g). The meal combinations were as follows:

Meal 1: thin/0.57 kcal; Meal 2: thin/1.01 kcal/g; Meal 3: thick/ 0.57 kcal/g; Meal 4: thick /1.01 kcal/g

Participants consumed the four test meals over four non-consecutive test sessions at the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, with at least three days washout between each session. Each part followed a completely randomised full crossover design.

The primary objective was to assess ad libitum intake (both kcal and g) of the test meals, depending on the combination of food texture and energy density.

The secondary objectives were to assess the eating rate, oral processing characteristics, changes in rated appetite up to 90 minutes post-consumption and energy intake (kcal) for the rest of the test day (food diary), as a function of the test meal texture and energy density

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 63
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Singapore
  • Singapore, Singapore, 117599
    • Clinical Nutrition Research Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Aged between 21 and 50 years
• BMI < 30 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria:

• Individuals whose body weight has changed more than 5 kilograms in the last 12 months
• People who are taking insulin or medications known to affect glucose metabolism, appetite or energy metabolism
• Individuals who are currently dieting
• People with intolerances or allergies to study foods or test products, e.g. soya, wheat, gluten, cereal, fruits, biscuits, dairy products, rice, vegetable, meat, seafood, sugar and sweetener, gelatin, natural food colourings or flavourings, etc
• Pregnant women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Test Meal 1; Thin/Low Energy	Other: Thin/Low Energy; Thin textured rice meal (ground rice grains) with lower energy density (0.57 kcal/g)
Experimental: Test Meal 2; Thin/High Energy	Other: Thin/High Energy; Thin textured rice meal (ground rice grains) with higher energy density (1.01 kcal/g)
Experimental: Test Meal 3; Thick/Low Energy	Other: Thick/Low Energy; Thicker textured rice meal (whole rice grains) with lower energy density (0.57 kcal/g)
Experimental: Test Meal 4; Thick/High Energy	Other: Thick/High Energy; Thicker textured rice meal (whole rice grains) and high energy density (1.01 kcal/g)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ad libitum intake of the test meals - weight (g)	The weight of the test meal consumed during the test session was measured. There are four test sessions and participants eat one of the four test meals each session. The amount consumed was measured each time.	Measured once for up to 20 minutes
Ad libitum intake of the test meals - calories (kcal)	The weight of the meal consumed was measured and convert to calories using the meal energy density (which is known). There are four test sessions and participants eat one of the four test meals each session. The amount consumed was measured each time.	Measured once for up to 20 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Eating rate of the test meals	Video recordings of the participants eating are coded and from this eating rate was calculated as grams consumed per minute (g/min).	Measured once for up to 20 minutes
Changes in rated appetite pre- to post meal consumption and up to 90 minutes post-consumption	100-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ratings of hunger, fullness, desire to eat, prospective consumption and thirst	pre-meal, immediately post-meal, +15 minutes, +30 minutes, +45 minutes, +60 minutes, +75 minutes, + 90 minutes
Energy intake (kcal) for the rest of the test day recorded in a Food diary	Food intake recorded in a food diary	Up to 24 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 29, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): November 30, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): November 30, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 29, 2016
• Last Verified: November 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Meal size
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2015/00867 Part 1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO