Effect of Eggs and Egg Components on Cognitive Performance and Appetite in School-aged Children

Toronto Metropolitan University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Nutrition; Cognitive Performance; Appetite

Treatments: Other: Yogurt; Other: Egg whites; Other: Whole eggs; Other: Egg yolks; Other: Snack skipping

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03321227

Ryerson-REB-2017

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of eggs and egg components on cognitive performance and appetite in children aged 9-14 years, as well as to identify the underlying physiological mechanisms in this relationship.

Full description

Children will be asked to refrain from exercising the morning of their test day and inform researchers of any illness. Following a 12-hour overnight fast, children will consume a standardized breakfast of a cereal bar, fruit cup and orange juice at home (total 330 kcal). Children will be asked to avoid consumption of any other food, with the exception of water, until arrival at the laboratory 3 hours later.

At the laboratory, five treatments of: (a) 2 whole eggs, (b) 2 egg whites, (c) 2 egg yolks, (d) full fat yogurt isocaloric to the 2 whole eggs, and (e) snack skipping will be provided to children 9-14 years on separate days at least 7 days apart. Cognitive performance, subjective emotion/mood, and subjective appetite will be measured for 90-minutes following snack consumption (n=25). Cognitive performance assessments will include learning and memory, spatial memory, attention and processing speed, and executive functions. In a subgroup of individuals (n=10), glucose, insulin, incretin hormones (glucagon like peptide1(GLP1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)),dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), amino acids, fatty acids, and choline will be measured for 90-minutes following snack consumption.

Enrollment: 19 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 9 to 14 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• be between 9 and 14 years of age
• be healthy, and have been born at term
• healthy body weight (between the 5th and 85th BMI percentile for age and gender)

Exclusion criteria

• children with food sensitivities or allergies to eggs, egg-products, dairy and wheat
• children with any diagnosed learning, emotional, or behavioral disabilities
• children on medications that may influence cognitive performance

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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19 participants in 5 patient groups

Snack skipping

Experimental group

Description:

No snack provided

Treatment:

Other: Snack skipping

Whole eggs

Experimental group

Description:

2 whole large eggs as a snack

Treatment:

Other: Whole eggs

Egg whites

Experimental group

Description:

2 egg whites as a snack

Treatment:

Other: Egg whites

Egg yolks

Experimental group

Description:

2 egg yolks as a snack

Treatment:

Other: Egg yolks

Yogurt

Active Comparator group

Description:

Full fat yogurt as a snack

Treatment:

Other: Yogurt