Evaluating a Mindful Eating Curriculum, "Savor the Flavor"

Penn State University49 enrolled

Overview

The overall goal of this study is to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility and efficacy of the "Savor the Flavor" intervention.

The overall goal of this study is to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility and efficacy of the "Savor the Flavor" intervention. The goal of this curriculum is to teach children how to savor foods and slow down while eating by focusing on the sensory experience of eating. The intervention will also teach children attention control techniques so that they are better able to delay consumption of high energy, low nutrition foods, when appropriate.The study will also evaluate a modified version of the Eating in the Absence of Hunger task for use in a preschool classroom setting.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Eating Behavior

Interventions

Savor the FlavorBEHAVIORAL

A series of five interactive classroom lessons focused on mindfulness in eating.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 2 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Child Inclusion Criteria: * Child must be enrolled in a Head Start preschool center * Child must be between the ages of 2 and 6 years old Child Exclusion Criteria: * Food allergy or restriction to foods included in protocol Parent Inclusion Criteria: * Parent or other primary caregiver of a child enrolled in the study * 18 years of age or older * English speaking Parent Exclusion Criteria: \- None Teacher Inclusion Criteria: * Actively employed as an early childhood education provider in the Head Start classroom where intervention is delivered * 18 years of age or older Teacher Exclusion Criteria: \- None

Locations (1)

Pennsylvania State University

University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in eating in the absence of hunger from pre to post intervention

Children will be given seven minutes of free access to a variety of palatable snacks and toys during a time when they are not hungry (e.g. after a meal). Intake of snacks is determined by pre and post weighing the foods.

Time frame: Pre intervention and at conclusion of 5 week intervention

Secondary Outcomes

Recall of Savor the Flavor steps

Children will be asked to recall the five steps of "Savor the Flavor"

Time frame: At conclusion of 5 week intervention

Acceptability of intervention

Teachers will complete a questionnaire with scaled and open-ended questions about the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention

Time frame: At conclusion of 5 week intervention

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.