Portion size selection in children: Effect of sensory imagery for snacks varying in energy density

Pleasure or Health? The Role of Mental Simulation in Desire and Food Choices

“…Similarly, imagining eating a vice food increases salivation compared to a neutral food such as bread [29]. Some other studies have examined the effect of mental simulations on selections of portion sizes [16,18,31].…”

“…Since it has been suggested that multisensory imagery (equivalent to process simulation) affect portion sizes by diminishing the effect of otherwise salient feelings, such as hunger [16,18], we considered it relevant to add expected enjoyment and hunger for a manipulation check. The results of expected enjoyment showed that "time" was a significant factor (F(176) = 10.75, p = 0.002).…”

Effect of a Pleasure-Oriented Intervention Conducted at Home on the Energy Intake of Midafternoon Snacks Consumed by Children

“…Thus, sensory imagery would lead children to choose smaller portions because they would expect a higher pleasure with smaller portions than with larger portions. The reduction of the portion size of a palatable food after having imagined the multisensory pleasure derived from foods was confirmed in older children aged from 7 to 11 years (Lange et al, 2020). In our study, one could argue that this phenomenon occurs in the children involved in the pleasure-oriented intervention whom sensory imagery could be stimulated by the different activities (i.e., the recipe, the culinary challenge and the infographics) present in the boxes and that the children would then put into practice during their mid-afternoon snack.…”

“…Cornil & Chandon (2016) revealed that focusing on sensory pleasure through multisensory imagery led 5-year-old children to choose smaller portions of chocolate cake or soft drink than in a nonfood (control) sensory imagery condition. The reduction of the portion size was confirmed in another study with children aged 7-11 y, with a reduction for palatable food but not for healthier food (Lange et al, 2020). Food sensory imagery, which consists of creating a vivid mental image of the sensory experience of eating, may lead to the selection of smaller portions, acting as a reminder that eating pleasure does not increase with portion size.…”

“…Existing research on the effects of pleasure-based interventions has found that such interventions work better when people are hungry (Bédard et al, 2020;Lange et al, 2020).…”