Slow rates of habituation predict greater zBMI gains over 12 months in lean children.

Slow rates of habituation are cross-sectionally related to greater energy intake and body weight. The present study is designed to assess whether slow rates of habituation are prospectively related to zBMI change over a 12 month period in 66 lean 8-12 year-old children, and whether the rate of habituation is a stable behavioral phenotype. Results showed that slower rates of habituation predicted greater zBMI change, controlling for child sex, age, initial zBMI, dietary awareness and minority status.

What constitutes food variety? Stimulus specificity of food.

Variety is a major influence of energy intake, but it is not known how much foods have to vary to influence eating. Using a stimulus specificity habituation paradigm we assessed the influence of varying the texture and appearance of nutritionally identical foods on responding for food and energy intake, and whether sensitization, or an increase in responding prior to habituation, was related to the rate of habituation or recovery of responding. Children responded for elbow macaroni and cheese until they habituated, then were provided either more elbow macaroni and cheese, spiral macaroni and cheese, or chicken nuggets.

Sensitization and habituation of motivated behavior in overweight and non-overweight children.

The rate of habituation to food is inversely related to energy intake, and overweight children may habituate slower to food and consume more energy. This study compared patterns of sensitization, as defined by an initial increase in operant or motivated responding for food, and habituation, defined by gradual reduction in responding, for macaroni and cheese and pizza in overweight and non-overweight 8-12 year-old children. Non-overweight children habituated faster to both foods than overweight children (p = 0.

Variety influences habituation of motivated behavior for food and energy intake in children.

Background: Research has shown that variety reduces the rate of habituation, or a general reduction in the rate of responding, for low-energy-density (LED) and high-energy-density (HED) foods.

Objective: We assessed whether the effects of variety on habituation of motivation to eat are different in overweight and lean children.

Design: Overweight and lean children (n = 84) were randomly assigned to groups that varied as to whether they received their favorite or a variety of LED or HED foods.