Exploring the Influence of Sensory Cues on Eating Behavior Using Virtual Reality

The Pennsylvania State University (PENNSTATE)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Unpleasant Smell; Other: Pleasant Smell

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06662149

STUDY00025849

Details and patient eligibility

About

Many factors influence eating choices among humans (mood, taste, convenience, time of day, etc.). Finding simple ways to decrease food intake or improve food choices could improve weight status and overall health of the general population. The purpose of this study is to see if city and/or nature smells affect human eating behavior within a virtual reality-simulated outdoor café. The researchers of this study believe that a better understanding of how smells affect eating behavior could lead to public guidelines that direct the construction and layout of such outdoor eating environments to better support healthy behaviors.

Enrollment: 25 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 29 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Between the ages of 18-29
• Fluent in English
• Free of self-reported food allergies/food sensitivities
• No diagnosis of cognitive or physical disabilities/disorders that may affect appetite or eating behaviors (Examples include Major Depressive Disorder, dementia, or eating disorders)
• No diagnosis of disabilities that may affect sensory proprioception related to virtual reality (Examples include vertigo, epilepsy, and ataxia)
• Not color blind
• Does not experience anosmia (inability or weak ability to smell)
• Must have hair ≥3 cm in length at the cortisol sample site (roughly midline of the skull left to right and two inches up from the base of the hairline at the neck).
• No hair transplant in the last 6 months

Exclusion criteria

• Are younger than 18 or older than 29 years of age
• Not fluent in English
• Have self-reported food allergies
• Have a diagnosis of cognitive or physical disabilities that may affect appetite or eating behaviors (Examples include Major Depressive Disorder, dementia, or eating disorders)
• Have a diagnosis of disabilities that may affect sensory proprioception related to virtual reality (Examples include vertigo, epilepsy, and ataxia)
• Suffers from color blindness
• Suffers from anosmia (inability or weak ability to smell)
• Hair shorter than 3 cm in length at the cortisol sample site (roughly midline of the skull left to right and two inches up from the base of the hairline at the neck)
• Has had a hair transplant in the last 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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25 participants in 2 patient groups

Pleasant First

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will experience the pleasant smell in the participant's first visit and the unpleasant smell in the participant's second visit.

Treatment:

Other: Pleasant Smell

Other: Unpleasant Smell

Unpleasant First

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will experience the unpleasant smell in the participant's first visit and the pleasant smell in the participant's second visit.

Treatment:

Other: Pleasant Smell

Other: Unpleasant Smell