Cognitive Distraction on Food Intake: Randomized Crossover Exploratory Study

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Status: Completed

Conditions: Weight, Body; Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: None or Control condition; Behavioral: Rapid Visual Information Processing task

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04078607

liguori

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study determined effects of a cognitive distraction on amount, preference, and memory of food consumed and perceptions of fullness, hunger, and enjoyment of food in a healthy young-adult population. A randomized controlled crossover study of 119 healthy adults, assigned to begin in either the distracted or control condition, was conducted.

Full description

Environmental distractions have been shown to affect eating patterns. Influences of food environments on consumption patterns and not simply food choices are becoming increasingly clear for their contributions to energy intake. Of particular interest is the presence of distraction. It has been postulated that when distracted, individuals are inclined to consumer more than when not distracted. However, how distraction and memory impact subsequent food choice and preference is less well known. A Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVIP) task was applied to distract individuals while eating; food intake and food behaviors were measured after RVIP distraction and compared to food intake and food behaviors without distraction in the same individuals.

Enrollment: 119 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• able to read and speak English and willing to consume foods provided during the study

Exclusion criteria

• adhering to any dietary restrictions or diets, having any food allergies, and/or having any chronic or metabolic diseases

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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119 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Distraction

Experimental group

Description:

Distraction during eating using the Rapid Visual Information Processing task as the distraction

Treatment:

Behavioral: Rapid Visual Information Processing task

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

No distraction during eating

Treatment:

Behavioral: None or Control condition