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Objective: To determine whether exposure to celebrity endorsement in television (TV) food advertising and a nonfood context would affect ad libitum intake of the endorsed product and a perceived alternative brand. Study design: A total of 181 children from the UK aged 8-11 years viewed 1 of the following embedded within a cartoon: (1) a commercial for Walker's Crisps (potato chips), featuring a long-standing celebrity endorser; (2) a commercial for a savory food; (3) TV footage of the same endorser in his well-known role as a TV presenter; or (4) a commercial for a nonfood item. Children's ad libitum intake of potato chips labeled “Walker's” and “supermarket brand” was measured using ANOVA. Results: Children who viewed the endorsed commercial or the TV footage of the endorser outside of a food context consumed significantly more of the Walker's chips compared with children in other groups. These children did not reduce their intake of the supermarket brand product to compensate; thus, the endorser effect contributed to overconsumption. Conclusion: The influence of a celebrity endorser on food intake in children extends beyond his or her role in the specific endorsed food commercial, prompting increased consumption of the endorsed brand even when the endorser has been viewed in a nonfood context. Our data suggest that the ubiquitous nature of celebrity media presence may reinforce unhealthy eating practices in children, although research with other endorsers is needed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To formally test a hierarchy of effects model linking exposure to television (TV) advertising for unhealthy foods with child body weight through purchase requests, purchases, and consumption. Design: A nationally representative cross-sectional online study in the United Kingdom. Participants: A total of 2,260 parent-child dyads (children aged 7−11 years) recruited via online research panel; 55.7% boys, mean age 8.9 § 1.4 years, mean body mass index z-score 1.25 § 2.1. Main Outcome Measures: Parents reported on child TVexposure and child height and weight. Children self-reported their frequency of (1) pestering for advertised foods, (2) purchase of unhealthy foods, and (3) consumption of unhealthy foods. Analysis: A structural equation model was applied to data. Results: As predicted, commercial TV exposure was indirectly associated with children’s body mass index through purchasing and consumption through purchase requests. It was also directly associated with children’s purchase requests, purchasing, and consumption of unhealthy foods. Associations between noncommercial TV and behavior or body weight outcomes, when found, were significantly weaker than for commercial exposure. Conclusions and Implications: This study provides insight into the likely behavioral pathways underpinning the effects of food marketing on diet and potentially body weight in children. Future longitudinal analyses would provide insight into causal inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Smaller portion sizes are associated with lower energy intake. • We test a norm range model of the portion size effect on intended intake. • A wide range of portion sizes were perceived as normal. • Portions perceived as normal did not prompt intended compensatory eating. • Portions perceived as smaller than normal prompted intended compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article reviews the regulation of appetite from a biopsychological perspective. It considers psychological experiences and peripheral nutritional systems (both episodic and tonic) and addresses their relationship with the CNS networks that process and integrate their input. Whilst such regulatory aspects of obesity focus on homeostatic control mechanisms, in the modern environment hedonic aspects of appetite are also critical. Enhanced knowledge of the complexity of appetite regulation and the mechanisms that sustain obesity indicate the challenge presented by management of the obesity epidemic. Nonetheless, effective control of appetite expression remains a critical therapeutic target for weight management. Currently, strategies which utilise a combination of agents to target both homeostatic and hedonic control mechanisms represent the most promising approaches. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Central Control of Food Intake’. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Branding is a technique used by the food industry to create a recognizable image to attract consumers and hopefully boost sales of the product. Children recognize food brands from a young age, but their impact on the development of eating behaviors and obesity is unclear. In addition, the notion that some branding techniques may be used to increase intake of healthful foods, like fruits and vegetables, has not been rigorously investigated. Three laboratory-based intake studies designed to test the impact of common food brands on children''s eating habits are presented. In the first study, four to six year-old children (n=43) were exposed to ad libitum test-meals where foods were presented either with or without their associated branding. In the second study, a novel food brand based Stroop task was developed and tested to assess children''s cognitive response to food brands, and following this procedure, seven to nine year-old children (n=41) ate ad libitum test-meals consisting of foods packaged with or without a logo from a popular fast food restaurant. Finally, a pilot intervention was conducted with four to five year-old children (n=16) to demonstrate the efficacy of using licensed (spokes) characters to package and promote intake of fruits and vegetables. These studies demonstrate that branding is an important influence on what and how much children eat, but some children may be more susceptible to these influences than others. Future studies are needed to better understand the influence that child age, sex, and obesity has on response to food branding and marketing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objectives of this work were to investigate short-term appetite-reducing effects of an innovative low-fat yogurt enriched with protein (8g/serving) and fibre (2.6–2.9g/serving). Two studies were conducted using randomised cross-over designs. Healthy women consumed a mid-morning snack consisting of either the test or the control yogurt product (Study 1, n =24: iso-energetic, not iso-weight conditions; Study 2, n =121: iso-weight, not iso-energetic conditions) under laboratory conditions. Subjective appetite ratings (of hunger, fullness, desire to eat and prospective consumption) were recorded throughout the morning; sensory and hedonic ratings were also collected. In Study 2, two hours after consumption of the dairy snack, subsequent food intake at lunch was also measured. The test product reduced subjective appetite compared to the control (all ratings, P <0.05). Energy intake at lunch was reduced by 274kJ after the test compared to the control (P <0.001). These two studies demonstrated that a low-fat dairy product enriched with protein and fibre can significantly reduce short-term appetite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cumulative intake curves and within-meal changes in subjective feelings of fullness can provide researchers with detailed data on the effects of psychological, nutritional or pharmacological manipulations on the expression of human appetite. However, a number of different approaches to the collection and analysis of within-meal data exist resulting in potential to produce contrasting findings. The current study measured cumulative intake and change in appetite using a Universal Eating Monitor (UEM). Three different techniques (area under the curve, visual ascription, and a coefficient approach) were used to analyse the same cumulative intake curves produced in a study of stress on food intake. Twenty-three adult participants (mean age 21 years) consumed a meal comprised of pasta and marinara sauce and, with the aid of the Sussex Meal Pattern Monitor (SMPM), were periodically interrupted to measure subjective feelings of fullness. As hypothesised, analysing cumulative intake curves with differing techniques affected the overall study findings. No significant between-condition differences in the cumulative intake or fullness curves were found using either the visual ascription or the area under the curve approaches. In contrast, the coefficient approach found a significant difference in the fullness curves between relaxation and cold pressor conditions (p =0.012). This discrepancy in findings was due to the presence of a quadratic component in the cumulative intake curve in the stress condition which was not present in control (p =0.017). Whilst the relative merits of various approaches to microstructural analysis of eating behaviour remain to be fully evaluated, the case for some form of standardised analytic approach may need to be addressed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Low-calorie sweetened (LCS) beverages may help consumers to satisfy hedonic food cravings without violating dieting goals, however this remains unexplored. The present research investigated the effect of priming hedonic eating motivations on ad libitum energy intake in frequent and non-consumers of LCS beverages. It was hypothesised that energy intake would be greater after the hedonic eating prime relative to a control prime in non-consumers, but that frequent LCS beverage consumers would be protected from this effect. In Study 1 (N = 120), frequent and non-consumers were exposed to either chocolate or neutral cues (craving vs. control condition) and then completed a beverage-related visual probe task with concurrent eye-tracking. Ad libitum energy intake from sweet and savoury snacks and beverages (including LCS) was then assessed. Study 2 followed a similar protocol, but included only frequent consumers (N = 172) and manipulated the availability of LCS beverages in the ad libitum eating context (available vs. unavailable). Measures of guilt and perceived behavioural control were also included. In Study 1 , as hypothesised, non-consumers showed greater energy intake in the craving condition relative to the control condition, but frequent consumers had similar energy intake in both conditions. Frequent consumers (but not non-consumers) also demonstrated an attentional bias for LCS beverage stimuli compared to both sugar and water stimuli. In contrast, in Study 2 frequent consumers showed greater energy intake in the craving condition relative to the control condition; however, overall energy intake was significantly greater when LCS beverages were unavailable compared to when they were available. Ratings of guilt were higher and perceived control was lower in the LCS-unavailable condition relative to the LCS-available condition. Conclusions: LCS beverages did not consistently protect consumers from craving-induced increases in energy intake. However, frequent consumers consumed fewer calories overall when LCS beverages were available (relative to unavailable), as well as perceiving more control over their food intake and feeling less guilty. • LCS beverages did not reliably protect consumers from craving-induced increases in energy intake. • Energy intake was lower when LCS beverages were available (vs. unavailable) in frequent consumers. • Frequent consumers had an attentional bias for LCS beverages compared to both sugar and water. • Frequent consumers felt less guilty and more in control of their eating when LCS beverages were available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]