Impact of energy density on liking for sweet beverages and caloric-adjustment conditioning in children.

Background: The contribution of sweet beverages to weight gain in children is controversial; the impact of these beverages on caloric adjustment needs clarification.

Objective: We studied the influence of energy-density (ED) conditioning on the liking for sweet beverages and caloric adjustment after their consumption in children.

Design: We used a within-subject design. Forty-four 8-11-y-old children were exposed to the following 2 distinctly flavored, sweetened beverages: a high-energy (HE) version (150 kcal) and a no-energy (NE) version (0 kcal). During a 4-wk initial conditioning period, children were exposed either 2 or 7 times to each beverage. After a 3-wk stability period (without exposure), children were exposed 3 times to both beverages with a reversed association between the ED and flavor (4-wk reversed-conditioning period). Flavor liking and food intake during meals after the consumption of each beverage were assessed before and after each period.

Results: After the initial conditioning, the liking for both beverages increased (P < 0.001). After the stability period, the liking for the HE flavor was higher than for the NE flavor (P = 0.024). After the reversed conditioning, the liking for the flavor initially paired with the HE beverage tended to remain higher than for the NE flavor (P = 0.089). Initially, energy intakes during the meal did not differ after the consumption of NE or HE beverages. After the initial conditioning and up until the end of the reversed conditioning, energy intakes were lower after the HE beverage than after the NE beverage regardless of the beverage flavor (eg, after reversal; caloric compensation score: 29%). The number of exposures did not influence liking or energy intake.

Conclusion: After the association between a flavor and ED and reversal of this association, liking may be first guided by ED and then the flavor firstly associated with ED, whereas the partial caloric compensation may consistently be guided by ED. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02070185.