NCT04078607

Cognitive Distraction on Food Intake: Randomized Crossover Exploratory Study

Effect of a Cognitive Distraction on Amount, Preference, and Memory of Food Consumed: a Randomized Crossover Exploratory Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 119 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Weight, Body

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Rapid Visual Information Processing task	A series of numbers appeared on a computer screen at a rate of one per minute. Each participant was required to identify any series of three consecutive odd or even numbers by hitting the space bar on the keyboard. The task lasted 15 minutes and included a 1-minute practice session before food being served. Participants were instructed to eat at will while completing the computer task.
BEHAVIORAL	None or Control condition	Participant were instructed to eat at will during a 15-minute duration.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-01-01
• Primary completion: 2017-04-30
• Completion: 2018-05-31
• First posted: 2019-09-06
• Last updated: 2019-09-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States