The impact of image-size manipulation and sugar content on children's cereal consumption. (1st December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Neyens, E.; Aerts, G.; Smits, T.
• Is Part Of: Appetite. Volume 95(2015)
• Page Start: 152
• Page End: 157
• Publication Date: 2015-12-01
• Subjects: Children -- Advertising -- Image-size manipulation -- Cereal intake -- Consumption -- Front-of-pack marketing; Food habits -- Periodicals; Appetite -- Periodicals; Appetite disorders -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.07.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6663

Abstract

Abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that portion sizes and food energy-density influence children's eating behavior. However, the potential effects of front-of-pack image-sizes of serving suggestions and sugar content have not been tested. Using a mixed experimental design among young children, this study examines the effects of image-size manipulation and sugar content on cereal and milk consumption. Children poured and consumed significantly more cereal and drank significantly more milk when exposed to a larger sized image of serving suggestion as compared to a smaller image-size. Sugar content showed no main effects. Nevertheless, cereal consumption only differed significantly between small and large image-sizes when sugar content was low. An advantage of this study was the mundane setting in which the data were collected: a school's dining room instead of an artificial lab. Future studies should include a control condition, with children eating by themselves to reflect an even more natural context. Highlights: We hypothesized that image-size on-pack and sugar content impact food intake. 4–5 year old children self-served their cereals from one of the two test packages. Children poured and consumed more cereals and milk when image-size was large. No main effects of sugar content were found, a moderating effect appeared. Subtle cues such as image-sizes unconsciously affect young children.