Awakening to the Taste of Food Among Restrained Women

NCT01535846 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: INAF 2010-215
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Energy-restricted diets often require dieting rules, which forced the dieter to eat according to cognitive norms, which increase his vulnerability to external food cues. Allowing the recognition of internal hunger and satiety cues by using conscious food tasting could be helpful among restrained eaters to facilitate an internalized regulation of food intake. The objectives of the proposed study are to investigate among restrained women whether conscious food tasting can influence 1) attitudes and behaviors associated with food and eating; 2) reliance on hunger and satiety signals; and 3) development of taste and olfactory memory. Females (n=50) will be randomly assigned to: 1) experimental group (conscious food tasting intervention) (n=24), or 2) control group (n=26). The conscious food tasting intervention will be conducted by a registered dietitian into groups of ten to twelve women during six weekly 2-hour workshops. Women in the control group will not receive any intervention. Measurements will be taken at baseline, at the end of the intervention period, and at 12-week post-intervention. Restraint Scale, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, Mindful Eating Questionnaire, Intuitive Eating Scale, Body-Esteem Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale will measure attitudes and behaviors associated with food and eating as well as some aspects related to psychological functioning. The Intuitive Eating Scale and a snack-meal taste rating task (visual analogue scales) will assess internal hunger/satiety cues. Vocabulary used to describe the foods will be recorded from the snack-meal taste rating task and use to assess taste and olfactory memory. Sensory capabilities will be assessed by odour detection and identification test, and a taste detection test. The proposed study will provide a better understanding of the effects of conscious food tasting on eating attitudes and behaviors, which is relevant to dietetic practice as it could help to promote sustainable healthy eating habits.

Conditions

Other Eating Disorders

Keywords

taste; mindful eating; intuitive eating; attitude; behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Attitudes and behaviors associated with food and eating

  To evaluate the effects of conscious food tasting on attitudes and behaviors associated with food and eating. This measure is made through a questionnaire.

  Up to 3 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Physical signals for hunger and satiety

  Up to 3 months

• Development of taste and olfactory memory

  Up to 3 months

Study Arms (2)

Conscious food tasting intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Instead of focusing on dieting rules to restrict food intake, paying attention to sensory stimulation allow the recognition of internal cues of hunger and satiety which can be helpful to facilitate a more internalized regulation of food intake among restrained eaters. In the experimental group, the conscious food tasting intervention will be conducted by a registered dietitian into small groups of ten to twelve women during six weekly 2-hour workshops. Workshops will be taking place in a well-ventilated room to insure that there are no extraneous odours or noises that may hamper the activities involving senses.

Behavioral: Conscious food tasting intervention

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Conscious food tasting intervention BEHAVIORAL

Six weekly 2-hour workshops

Conscious food tasting intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 25 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• females aged 25 to 60 year-old
• stable weight (± 2.5 kg) for at least 2 months
• restrained eaters (scores of 15 or higher at the Restraint Scale)

You may not qualify if:

• food allergies
• taking medication (e.g., corticosteroids, tricyclic antidepressants, atypical antipsychotics)
• chronic health problems (e.g., eating disorders, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, hyperthyroidism)
• pregnant or lactating
• smoker

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Laval University: lead
• Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research (CFDR): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functionnal Foods (INAF)

Québec, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior

Study Officials

• Véronique Provencher, Ph.D.

  Laval University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2012
• First Posted: February 20, 2012
• Study Start: January 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2012
• Study Completion: December 1, 2012
• Last Updated: April 25, 2013

Record last verified: 2013-04

Locations

CA (1)