ABSTRACT:The effect of television viewing (TVV) and pubertal status of 9-to 14-y-old girls on mealtime food intake (FI) after a premeal glucose drink was determined. On four separate mornings, girls randomly received equally sweetened drinks containing Sucralose (control) or glucose (1.0 g/kg body weight) in 250 mL of water 2 h after a standardized breakfast. FI from an ad libitum pizza meal was measured 30 min later with or without TVV. Appetite was measured at 15 min intervals to lunch and postmeal. TVV at mealtime had no effect on FI, however, glucose suppressed FI more with no TVV compared with TVV (24 versus 10%, p Ͻ 0.001), primarily because of its effect in peripubertal girls (p Ͻ 0.028). In postpubertal girls (n ϭ 8), glucose reduced FI by ϳ27% in both the no TVV and TVV conditions, but in peripubertal girls (n ϭ 17), reduction in FI was 22% without TVV and only 1% while TVV. Appetite correlated with FI at 30 min only in postpubertal girls. TVV at mealtime reduced caloric compensation after consumption of the glucose drink in peripubertal, but not postpubertal, girls, with no effect on mealtime FI. (Clinical trial number NCT01025687.) (Pediatr Res 70: 513-517, 2011) F ood intake (FI) regulation in children is influenced by both physiological and environmental factors. Physiological signals of satiety and satiation are primary regulators of FI and energy balance (1). However, many nonfood-related stimuli in the mealtime environment impact this regulation (2). In children, excessive screen time (4 ϩ h/d) has been associated with increased incidence of obesity (3). Possible causes of this association are increased preference for energy dense foods and sweetened beverages (4), decreased resting metabolic rate (5), meal skipping (6), and reduced activity (7) while television viewing (TVV).Despite the strong associations found between obesity and TVV (7), few studies in children and adolescents have reported quantitative FI while TVV using a within-subject design. Although 3-to 5-y olds eat less while TVV (8), 15-to 16-y olds show no differences in FI when eating while TVV, no TVV, and listening to music (9). Only one study examined the effect of TVV on FI in 9-to 14-y-old children (10). Although TVV, boys ate 24% more at a pizza meal, indicating delayed satiation and showed diminished response to satiety signals after a glucose drink taken 30 min before the meal. Thus, mealtime TVV impaired physiologic signals leading to both satiety and satiation (10).The effect of TVV on satiety and satiation has not been reported for 9-to 14-y-old girls. Girls in this age range experience hormonal changes during puberty that may impact energy intake (11) and may use food and diet to address their negative perceptions of body image (12). Thus, our objective was to investigate the effect of TVV while eating and pubertal status on subjective appetite and mealtime FI 30 min after consumption of glucose (1.0 g/kg body weight) or noncaloric sweetened drink in 9-to 14-y-old girls. Our hypothesis was that TVV reduces the effect of...